Christmas Eve Tradition – Cheese Fondue

This Christmas is meat free, of course. Thankfully, our Christmas Eve tradition doesn't have to change! Every year, my mom and I have cheese fondue for Christmas eve with baguette, apples, and pears for dipping. And let me just say, it is my favorite holiday tradition. We only make it this one night a year, which makes it really special.


We're having Christmas in California this year, so we have to improvise with the cheese selection. When in Pennsylvania, we make fondue using brick cheese. Yes, it's called "brick cheese." It's a Wisconsin cheese that melts really well and, you guessed it, is in a brick shape. Unfortunately, we've never been able to find it in California. So, we are substituting gruyere, swiss, and monterey jack this year. Yes, it takes three cheeses to replace the glorious brick cheese.

Cheese fondue, the California way:

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb monterey jack cheese
• 1/4 lb gruyere cheese
  
• 1/2 swiss cheese
  
• 1/2 bottle chenin blanc wine
• 1 clove of garlic
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt

Directions
Rub the inside of the pan you're going to use with the clove of garlic. Add the chenin blanc and heat until it steams. Grate all of the cheese and mix in the flour and salt. Slowly add the cheese mixture to the wine, whisking until smooth. Serve in a fondue pot, on low.


Pennsylvania/Midwest fondue:

• 3/4 lb brick cheese
• 3/4 lb monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 bottle chenin blanc wine
• 1 clove of garlic
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt
  

Follow the same directions.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanza, Happy pagan holiday of your choice, etc.

Happy 4th Night of Chanukah: Spiced Olive Tapenade, Garlic Latkes with Fig Apple Sauce, and Chanukah Nut Cake with Honey Syrup

Image from Jewlicious.com

Hi there Veggie Horizons Readers! I felt like the blog was getting a bit Christmas heavy, what with all the Christmas cookies. I feel like  my Jewish buddies are being left out. We can’t have that! In their honor, I’d like to share a couple of recipes that I looked up for Chanukah celebrations.

Caveat: I don’t celebrate Chanukah, but I have many beloved friends who do! I do not profess to be an expert in the holiday itself, or the culture's traditional gastronomy. I've used multiple resources to locate and compile these recipes. (See the end of the post for a list of sources). I apologize if I get anything wrong. Please send me a comment if you see something incorrect, and I will fix it ASAP! 

Spiced Olive Tapenade on Challah Toast

This recipe comes from the NewKosher Cookbook: Your Favorite Jewish Vegan Recipes, and though it is not listed in the sample “Chanukah menu,” I think it sounds like a nice little holiday appetizer!

Ingredients

1 cup colossal green olives, any variety, pitted

1 cup colossal black olives, any variety, pitted

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Olive oil

Ancho chili powder, to taste

12 slices challah

2 tablespoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Directions

1. Combine olives, garlic, and lemon juice in food processor and blend, drizzling in olive oil until a spreadable consistency is reached. Add ancho chili powder to taste.

2. Brush challah slices with olive oil and grill or toast in over at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until edges turn golden brown. Serve warm, spread with tapenade and sprinkled with parsley and lemon zest.

Garlic Latkes with Fig Apple Sauce

These latkes won “best in show” at the Atlanta Cevre Minyan latke cooking contest. You can find the original recipe at Jewish Vegetarians of North America and in the NewKosher Cookbook: Your Favorite Jewish Vegan Recipes. Recipe by Patrick Aleph.

For the Garlic Latkes

Ingredients

1 bag frozen hash browns, thawed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Equal parts garlic salt and pepper (a dash for every latke)

Vegetable oil

Directions

1. After thawing the hash browns, squeeze out as much liquid as possible. It helps to use cheese cloth or paper towels. There won't be too much liquid and it saves a lot of time one otherwise spends grating potatoes and onions.

2. Mix flour and baking powder to potato mixture.

3. In a pan, pour a thin layer of vegetable oil. Drop one tablespoon of potato batter into oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. In a regular pan, you should be able to cook at least four latkes at once.

For the Fig Apple Sauce

Ingredients

1 jar apple sauce

Handful dried figs

1 cup hot mint tea

Four brown cardamom pods

Pumpkin pie spice or a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, and allspice (to taste)

Directions

1. Boil one cup of mint tea with cardamom pods. After tea is brewed, remove pods and steep the dried figs for five minutes or until figs are plump.

2. Remove figs from tea and blend in food processor. Slowly add apple sauce until well blended.

3. Add pumpkin pie spice (a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and allspice) to taste.

4. Serve chilled with latkes.

Chanukah Chocolate Mousse

This recipe comes from JewishPath.com, and is listed specifically for the fourth day of Chanukah (This year, that’s December 24^th) It's not vegan, but it sounds delicious! 

Ingredients

4 ounces chocolate (milk, semi-sweet or sweet)

4 eggs, separated

1 cup margarine

whipped topping

Directions

1. Melt chocolate in microwave. Add egg yolks and margarine. 

2. Mixing with fork, cook over low heat until thick or cook in double boiler over rapidly boiling water, stirring until mixturebecomes thick. Set aside to cool. 

3. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture. Put into serving dishes and refrigerate. 

4. Top with whipped cream and serve.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Gingerbread Biscotti (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh

So.... Day 12. I am almost at a loss for words. After so many cookies and so many posts - I kind of don't want it to be over. Oh well, there's always next year! I have at least 4 holiday cookiesthat I didn't get around to this year, so maybe this will be annual?

Well, anyway, this final cookie is one of my new holiday favorites. I've never made biscotti before. (Perhaps I've been avoiding anything so overtly Italo-American so as not to feel like a stereotype?) In Italian, biscotti means "cookies" (not cookie... the word is actually plural). Any type of cookies. Not just the log-shaped ones that we are familiar with on this side of the ocean. But, I can't deny that the Italo-American concotions are delicious. So here is my holiday biscotti! I like it so much I'm thinking of making large amounts of dough and freezing it for quick biscotti making in the future.

Gingerbread Biscotti

This cookie is a grown up version of the childhood favorite - requiring no pressing, rolling, or decorating. It's plenty spicy and full of ginger flavor. Furthermore, this dunkable wonder is the perfect compliment to a cup of Earl Gray Tea on a cold, rainy day. It's a bit labor intensive, but don't let that scare you away! It's worth it.

Ingredients
1/4 cup molasses
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons soy milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat together molasses, sugar, flax seeds, oil, non-dairy milk, and vanilla with a wire whisk until smooth.

3. Sift in the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to form a smooth dough, then knead in the chopped slivered almonds (if using), pushing any bits that pop out back into the dough.

4. For a log about 11 inches long by 4 inches wide, using a rubber spatula to even the edges and flatten the end sides of the log. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until the log is puffed and firm but not too brown. It will spread a little, and some cracking is okay. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack, turn off the oven, and allow the log to cool for at least 45 minutes. If any edges of the log are too browned, gently trim them off with a sharp, heavy knife.

5. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Very carefully, slide the log off the baking sheet and onto a cutting board. With a sharp, heavy knife, cut log into ½-inch-thick slices, using one quick and firm motion, pressing down into the log. Very gently move slices to the baking sheet, standing them of their bottom edge if possible. Rebake the slices for 22 to 24 minutes. The slices should appear dry and slightly toasted, but do not allow them to get too browned. Allow the biscotti to cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully move them to the wire racks to complete cooling (warm biscotti may be fragile). Store in a loosely covered container.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Espresso Fudge Brownies (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Okay, so these technically aren't cookies. They're brownies.... or maybe we can consider them bar cookies? Honestly, they're so delicious I don't think any of your cookie fans will be complaining if you serve them up this holiday season. In fact, they'll probably be too busy stuffing their faces to quibble about much of anything, much less the correct catagorical  grouping of various baked goods.

Espresso Fudge Brownies
These brownies are dense, fudgy, and absolutely to die for. They are a bit thinner than your average from-the-box brownie, but don’t let their looks fool you. They pack a huge chocolaty punch. I played around with the extracts and added orange extract to make one of my favorite combos: orange-espresso-chocolate, which you may remember from the Orange-Mocha Cupcakes. However, if you don’t like to mix your orange and chocolate, use a full teaspoon of vanilla.

Photo courtesy of Lynne at Milk and Cookiezzz. My camera is still out of commission, but hopefully I will have my own pictures up soon. They do look exactly like this though - so it's a very reliable represenation.

Ingredients
3 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped (try and find it in bar form in the baking aisle)
5 tablespoons  non-hydrogenated  vegetable margarine (like Earth Balance)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Pinch salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and grease a 8x8 pan

2. Melt margarine and chopped chocolate in the microwave for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes, or until fully melted. Stop the microwave about halfway through to mix the two together with a fork or whisk.

3. Whisk together soy milk, cornstarch, espresso, orange extract, and vanilla until foamy.

4. Combine with chocolate mixture

5. Sift in flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder, and salt

6. Fold until moistened. Don’t over-mix or your brownies will become tough.

7. Pour in to prepared pan and bake for 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs and no gooey batter.  

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Citrus Glitters (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Citrus Glitters

Imagine an ideal sugar cookie infused with lemon and decoarted with crunchy, glittery goodness and you'll have a pretty good understanding of the Citrus Glitter. These soft-on-the-inside-crisp-on-the-outside cookies are the perfect gift for your lemon loving friends. (In Italy.... the word lemon is transformed into the verb "limonare" that means "to make out," so perhaps these cookies will get you a little lovin' too!)

Photo courtesy of Vegan.com - My camera died last night, so I will post my own photo as soon as I'm able to revive it!

Ingredients
4 tablespoons Demerara sugar (like Domino’s Demerara Sugar)
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (like Spectrum Organics Vegetable Shortening)
1/4 cup soy milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest (or the zest of any other citrus fruit)
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup  plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fine-ground cornmeal (if you don’t have fine ground cornmeal, you can use a coffee grinder, magic bullet, or food processor to finely grind regular cornmeal)
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.


2. Spoon Demerara sugar onto a plate and put to one side.


3. Use a hand mixer to cream the shortening and sugar until fluffy. Mix in soy milk, citrus zest, vanilla and lemon extracts.


4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on medium speed until a pliable dough forms it will look crumbly but will come together easily in your hands.


5. Roll heaped tablespoons pf dough into balls. Press each ball into the Demerara sugar to flatten it, coating one side only. Place the cookies sugar side up on baking sheets.


6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden at the edges. Cookies will be very soft, so allow to cool for about five minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Cherry Almond Cookies (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh

I know that I already posted the Cherry Butter Cookies, but I just can't get over the cherry-almond combo. Consider these delicious cookies as the vegan alternative, though they are definitely more chewy and less cakey than the Cherry Butter Cookies. I actually think they would be amazing with chocolate chips as well, but I'm trying not to put chocolate in absolutely everything I make this season. 

Cherry Almond Cookies

The combination of dried cherries and slivered almonds in these cookies creates a lovely texture - chewy, crunchy, and crisp all at once!

Ingredients
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3  cup sugar
1/3  cup firmly packed sugar
3  tablespoons soy milk
2  teaspoons. ground flax seed meal
1  teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2  teaspoon almond extract
1 cup  all-purpose flour
1/4  teaspoon baking soda
1/4  teaspoon salt
3/4  cup  slivered almonds
3/4  cup dried cherries

Directions

1. Preheat oven 350F  degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, use fork or whisk and vigorously mix oil, sugars, non-dairy milk, flax seeds, and extracts.  

3. Sift in flour, baking soda, and salt and mix.  When ingredients are mostly combined, add almonds and cherries and mix until thoroughly combined.

4. Drop cookies by generous tablespoons onto baking sheets–about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 –  12  minutes until edges begin to brown.

5. Let the cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Key Lime Shortbread (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh

These bright and tastey cookies are like a mini-vacation in shortbread form. I love that citrus is "in season" (at least in Chile) during the winter, and that we're able to taste a little bit of sunshine even when it snows in Pittsburgh (which it did today).I can't wait to add them to my holiday platter!

Key Lime Shortbread Cookies

This cookie is proof positive that shortbread can be just as delicious in Vegan form as in it's traditional iteration.  Use Key Limes if you can find them, and concentrated lime juice if you can't. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (like Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening)

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable margarine (like Earth Balance)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 cup lime juice (preferably from key limes)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 generous tablespoon finely grated lime zest (2 small limes, 4 to 5 Key limes)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Large crystal decorating sugar for rolling, about 1/4 cup (I used Demerara Sugar that I found at the Giant Eagle)

Directions

1.  In a large bowl, using electric beaters, cream together the shortening and margarine until fluffy and creamy.  Scrape the bowl then beat in the powdered sugar until thick and smooth.  Add the lime juice, vanilla and lime zest and beat for about 30 seconds to mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

2.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add half of this mixture and beat to moisten the ingredients.  Add the remaining flour and beat for about 1 minute until a soft ball of dough forms.

3.  Divide the dough in half, and place each half on a separate large sheet of wax paper.  Roll each half into a log about 7 to 8 inches long by 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches thick.  Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of decorating sugar in a line onto wax paper and roll a log to coat the outsides in sugar.  Repeat with remaining dough log.  Wrap each log tightly in wax paper and chill for at least 1 hour until very firm.

4.  Preheat over to 350 F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  With a thin, sharp knife, cut 1/2 inch slices of dough.  Place slices on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.  Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until slightly puffed and edges are just beginning to turn golden.  Do not over bake as the cookies will very rapidly turn golden brown.  Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to complete cooking.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh

These delicious cookies manage to be somehow decadent and healthy (feeling) at the same time. Much like the Everything Oatmeal cookies, these morsels come with a smattering of unexpected but delicious flavors: espresso, oatmeal, and (of course) chocolate! They're also vegan.

Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookies

They may not be the prettiest cookies you've every seen, but I guarantee they're among the most tasty! Cook them for 12 minutes if you like them a bit chewy, 14 if you like them crunchier. Recipe makes 2 dozen  cookies.

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain soy milk

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons ground flax seed meal (like Bob's Red Mill)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups oats

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix together soy milk, oil, flax seeds, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. 

3. Sift in flour, cinnamon, espresso powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add oats and chocolate chips and stir until all ingredients are moistened.

4. Drop by tablespoon of dough about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies are slightly puffed and edges appear dry.

5. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. 

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Lazy Samoas (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh
Day 6 of the Veggie Horizons 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Special is a Vegan cookie day! Now, I have this friend who: 1.) leans toward Veganism, 2.)is allergic to nuts, and 3.) doesn't like soft cookies (unlike yours truly) so finding a cookie that she can eat (and love) is a bit of a challenge.
But never fear, with the help of a new vegan cookie cookbook, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar (the cookie slinging sister to my prized and oft used Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World), I think I may have found something that fits the bill.

Lazy Samoas

These cookies are true to their name, and are rather easy to make. They're probably easier if you stock some of the basic vegan cooking items. If you're having trouble finding some of the ingredients, check your local health food store, as they're all fairly common (we're talking soy milk here, not fresh black truffles). Serve to your vegan and omnivorous friends alike! There are also many online vegan supplier like Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe that could be useful for locating more difficult to find items. 

Ingredients

2 cups grated, unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup unrefined coconut oil (like EfaGold Coconut Oil - available on Amazon, and at most health food stores)

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup soy milk

1 tablespoon ground flax seed meal (like Bob's Red Mill - available on Amazon, and at most health food stores)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Chocolate Drizzle:

1 cup vegan chocolate chips (like Tropical Source Chocolate Chips - available on Amazon, and at most health food stores)

2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Pour the grated coconut into a large heavy skillet and toast over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and toast coconut to a light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Promptly remove the coconut from the heat and stir it occasionally as it cools. If the coconut continues to turn overly brown promptly pour the skillet into a large dish and spread around to help hasten cooling and stop cooking.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil, brown sugar, non-dairy milk, flax seed meal, and vanilla until well blended and smooth.

4. Sift in all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt and mix to form a thick batter. Fold in the toasted coconut.

5. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets.  Flatten each cooking a bit, and use your fingertip to work a small hole into each center. Bake for 8 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are golden.

6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Transfer the cooled cookies onto waxed paper, then place them onto a cutting board or other firm surface that can be easily slid onto a refrigerator shelf.

7. While the cookies are cooling, melt chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler, then stir the coconut oil into the melted chocolate. Allow the chocolate to cool for 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Dip cookie bottoms into the chocolate and return them to the waxed paper. Now drizzle the remaining chocolate over the cookies, either by dipping a fork into the melted chocolate or by pouring the chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with a very small round tip. Chill the cookies for at least 30 minutes to completely firm up the chocolate. 

8. Store the cookies in a cool place. 

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Pumpkin Chip Drops

Pumpkin isn't just for Thanksgiving, kids. It's a great ingredient that makes some really great desserts. I love pumpkin pie and pumpkin cookies. But this pumpkin cookie recipe kicks every other pumpkin cookie's ass.

Photo Courtesy of blog.buesink.com

The secret? A lot of ingredients that you wouldn't necessarily think would go together: pumpkin, chocolate chips, and oatmeal.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Alternate with putting the flour mixture with pumpkin, beating after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Makes 11 dozen.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Double Chocolate Peppermint Bites

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Double Chocolate Peppermint Bites

These delicious chocolaty bites are simultaneously rich and invigorating.They're a lot like a York Peppermint Patty in cookie form. The recipe calls for a large quantity of chocolate chips to be melted, so I would suggest using a double boiler to keep the melted chocolate warm and workable, without the risk of burning.

Ingredient

2 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (do not exceed 61% cacao; 15 to 16 ounces)

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 large eggs
• Royal Icing for decorating

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  
  
  2. Stir 2 cups of the chocolate chips in a double boiler, or a medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Measure out 2/3 cup melted of chocolate; transfer to small metal bowl and reserve for drizzling.
  
  
• 3. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt in medium bowl. 
  
  
  4. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Add sugar and both extracts; beat until smooth. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat in melted chocolate from medium bowl. 
  
  
  5. Add dry ingredients; beat just to blend. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. 
  
  
  6. Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough between palms to form ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
  
  
• 7. Bake cookies until cracked all over and tester inserted into center comes out with large moist crumbs attached, 8 to 9 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment paper to racks to cool completely.
  
  
• 8. Rewarm reserved 2/3 cup chocolate over small saucepan of simmering water or in the double boiler. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies. Allow the chocolate to harden, 5-10 minutes.Then, pipe a small amount of royal icing in a zigzag pattern on top of the cookies. Allow to harden completely before serving. 
  
  
  
  

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

Posted by Nichole Leigh

So, I was going to save this recipe for later, but I can’t keep it to myself. These adorable cookies are as delicious as they are cute. The recipe is basically that of a traditional peanut butter cookie, shaped a little differently and embellished with candy pieces. I’ve decided to do all of my holiday baking without the use of artificial colors, so I used chocolate chips for eyes, pretzels for antlers, and foil-wrapped chocolate balls for noses (but M&M’s would work well too).

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

Recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies. I would make these cookies within a day or two of when you intend to serve them, as they are somewhat hard to store due to the antlers. However, they're too cute to pass up entirely!

 

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened, like Smucker’s Creamy All Natural)

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

For the embellishments:
Pretzels, chocolate chips, and red foil-wrapped chocolate balls.

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

2. Beat sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter in large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix well.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to peanut butter mixture and beat until well blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

4. Roll dough into 1inch balls, and pinch the ends to make them into a tear drop shape, flattening slightly. (See image below.)

5. Place on an baking sheet covered in parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and immediately press pretzel antlers, chocolate chip eyes, and a candy nose into each cookie. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to wire rack to finish cooling completely.

TIP: If your antlers and candy nose are not sticking, you can use royal icing (recipe follows) to secure them to your cookie. I always have to do this, but I’ve seen similar recipes that do not require any royal icing to secure the accouterments.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Traditional Royal Icing

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 large egg white

1/3 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

Combine all ingredients and beat until firm, 5-7 minutes. Icing should be stiff.

Alternative Royal Icing with Meringue Powder

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon meringue powder

2 tablespoons warm water

Directions

Combine all ingredients and beat until firm, 7-12 minutes. Icing should be stiff.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Cherry Butter Cookies

Alright ladies and gents! Today is Day 2 of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Challenge. Yesterday I posted a recipe for J's favorite cookies: Snickerdoodles. But today is my day, and my favorite cookies are Cherry Butter Cookies. They're so lovely and delicate, that they remind me of having tea parties as a child. I think Anne of Green Gables probably ate these cookies.  

Cherry Butter Cookies

These soft little cookies are tiny bites of heaven. They smell like shortbread when they’re cooking, and turn out a delightful pink color. I think that they have the power to conjure up a little bit of springtime in the middle of winter.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cups sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon cranberry juice or cherry juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup of cherry preserves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two aluminum baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger and salt.

3. In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg, honey, juice, and almond extract.

4. Stir in the cherry preserves until just incorporated.

5. Add the dry ingredients, one half at a time. Mix until just incorporated.

6. Drop the dough by teaspoons into a dish of granulated sugar. Roll to coat, and place on the baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between each ball.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until just firm and brown around the edges.

8. Remove from oven and carefully transfer to cooking racks.