Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!
There’s nothing as comforting as a plate of homemade cookie concoctions baked fresh out of the oven! With a glass of milk or coffee a cookie is a special treat, especially around Christmas. Recently I’ve spent much busy time in my kitchen baking different cookies for fundraisers, co-workers and family. It has been a peaceful and fun week as I listened to my Spotify Christmas playlist and baked my heart away.
I found this Chocolate Thumbprint recipe on Pinterest, from Shanon at The Curvy Carrot. She is a physician and enjoys cooking and baking while at home. I’m sharing her recipe for this delicious and beautiful cookie. I doubled the recipe and it made about four dozen. It will be a steadfast addition to my annual cookie list. They are also pretty easy to make and that means a lot this time of year!
I used parchment paper and love the results!
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies:
Serving: about 20 cookies
Ingredients:
2/3 Cup unsalted butter, sofftened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chocolate or multicolored sprinkles
20 (or however many cookies you end up with….) milk chocolate kisses
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.
3. Add sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
4. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.
5. Beat in the flour.
6. Your dough should be at ball-rolling consistency at this point. If it’s not, let it chill in the refrigerator for a while to firm up a little.
7. Once easily handled, roll dough into 1-inch balls.
8. Roll balls in sprinkles to coat.
9. Place balls 2 inches apart on your lined cookie sheets, and, using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
10. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Next I made Melt in your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies with frosting to top them off. I love pumpkin cookies and believe they are not just for fall but would be great to add to a Christmas cookie tray. I got this recipe on Pinterest, from Crissy at Dearcrissy.com. She’s a mom and wife, writer and food photographer. This recipe is the best pumpkin cookie I’ve ever tasted and baked! It will be a hit at parties, work or just at home.
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
YIELD: 60
COOKIES PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES PER BATCH
Ingredients:
2 cups butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
4 cups all-purpose flour
Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar (add until desired consistency/firmness)
ground cinnamon sprinkled on top (optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl beat the 2 cups of butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
3. Add granulated sugar, baking powder ,baking soda, salt, the 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and the nutmeg.
4. Beat until combined.
5. Beat in the eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until combined.
6. Beat in pumpkin.
7. Beat in as much of the four as you can with the mixer.
Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. 8. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are set.
10. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
For Frosting
1. in a small saucepan heat the 1/2 cup butter and brown sugar until melted and smooth.
2. Transfer to a medium bowl.
3. Stir in milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
4. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
5. Spread frosting on cookies.
6. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired.
Every year I write my cookie list to bake for family, friends, co-workers and neighbors this year. It varies from year to year. Most years I make peanut butter chocolate kiss cookies nicknamed Black eyed Susans, a family favorite. My son Branden and I still make sugar cookie cut outs every year. Since he was about 7 or 8, he has had a keen interest in creating and decorating these beauties. I asked him a message recently if he wanted to continue the tradition when he gets home for college break; he said yes, he would love it and so I look forward to this time with him in the kitchen.
Today my sister Barb, niece Ella Kate and my sweet mom are coming for Cookie day, a tradition we started a few years ago. Each of us will bake a batch of our favorites and then we split them up between us. We play music, laugh, reminisce and just enjoy each other while baking cookies. It’s a special day for me and I hope the tradition lasts with my future grandchildren.
Are you baking Christmas cookies soon? What are your favorites?
All My Best,
Heart and Soul