12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... Gram's sorghum cookies

It's week 8 already of April's 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies linky party.  Each week I look forward to seeing the pictures of the yummy recipes for Christmas cookies and sweets!

Today's recipe is one that I knew I would include when I first thought through joining April's blog party.  I think these were my grandmother's absolute favorite cookie and she made them all the time!

Gram's Sorghum Cookies

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. shortening

1 egg

1/4 c. sorghum or molasses

1 t. vanilla

2 c. flour

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. ginger

1 1/2 t. baking soda

Mix sugar and shortening together until well blended.  Add egg, sorghum and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until they are completely combined.  Roll dough into 2 inch balls and roll in sugar.  Place sugared balls onto greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... buckeyes

I'm pretty certain that I have seen at least one other post for Buckeyes during this 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies link party from Abby Sweets, but I couldn't resist posting a recipe of my own and the memories that go with it.


I can not remember how many times I made Buckeyes for my dad when I was in high school and college.  Honestly, I can't even remember why I made them the first time.  All I remember is that after that first batch, Buckeyes became something my dad asked for every holiday season.


Our family was blessed with the opportunity to go to my grandparent's lake home for Christmas.  My grandparents would go to Arizona each winter and their lake home would be empty.  We would drive 70 miles to "run away" for a few days of no TV, no phone, no company but a lot of laughs, games and eating.  My sisters and I would take turns making goodies in the kitchen while raucous card games would be going on.  


At some point in history, the making of the buckeyes became my sister's job.  To this day, she still makes them and brings them to our family Christmas celebration each year.  My dad still loves them and after all these years, I'm not sure our Christmas celebration would be the same without buckeyes.


BUCKEYES
3/4 c. peanut butter
3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. softened butter (not margarine)
1/2 t. vanilla extract
3 whole graham crackers finely crumbed in food processor
1 pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 T. butter


With mixer, mix together peanut butter and butter.  Add vanilla extract.  Slowly add powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave for 2 minutes.  Stir until completely melted.  Dip peanut butter balls into chocolate covering sides but leaving a small portion of peanut butter showing on top.
Refrigerate after dipping until chocolate is hardened.  
Store in refrigerator.

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... rum balls

During my high school and college years, we had a neighbor named Mrs. D.  Mrs. D made all kinds of wonderful treats for us and one of them was rum balls every holiday season.  It's been a few years since I have had Mrs. D's rum balls but when I made these this week I remembered how good these treats are!

RUM BALLS

1/2 c. butter

1 # powdered sugar

4 1/2 tsp rum (or bourbon)

2-3 squares semi-sweet choc. melted

Pecan halves

Beat butter (softened) until lite and fluffy

Gradually beat in sugar, then rum

Wrap in wax paper and chill 1 hr.

Roll balls, dip in choc, top with pecan

Keep in fridge or freezer!!

Enjoy!  Here are the other yummy Christmas treats this week...

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... Ferrol's Coco-Crispy Cookies

It's 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies time with Abby Sweets again!  I am having so much fun looking through my cookbooks and digging out old family favorite recipes as well as trying new ones.


This recipe is from my college roommate, Ferrol.  She is amazing!  She's always on the lookout for recipes that use whole foods.  She loves to feed her family foods that are not only delicious but are also relatively good for them.


My family usually frowns upon "good for you" things.  However, this batch of cookies disappeared almost as fast as I could make them.  We love them!


If you are looking for a healthier alternative to Christmas Cookies, try serving a plate of these.


Ferrol's Coco-Crispy Cookies


1 stick soft butter
3/4 c. raw sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 c. rice crispy cereal
1 c. rolled oats or instant oats
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut


Blend butter and sugar until creamy.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and baking powder.  Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir in cereal, oats and coconut.  Dough will be very stiff and crumbly.  Mix well... it takes a while. ; )


Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 12-13 minutes.

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... snowmints

It's another week of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies hosted by April at Abby Sweets.


My girls LOVE books from the American Girl Company.  So, when we saw this recipe in the American Girl Library Christmas Crafts, we realized this was something we needed to make!  So fun to do together and so minty yummy!  


Though these are not your typical Christmas cookie, they offer fun dimension and festivity to a plate of goodies.


SNOWMINTS


Step 1~ In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tablespoon softened butter (do not use margarine), 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon mint extract. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar.  When dough becomes too stiff to stir, knead with hands.

Step 2~ Pull off a 1/4 or so of dough and set aside.  With the remaining dough, make 12 snowman by forming 2 or 3 marbles sized balls for each one.  Stack balls on wax paper to make bodies.  To the remainder 1/4 of dough, knead in 1 drop blue food coloring.  Wash hands after kneading blue in.  Cover snowman bodies and blue dough with moist paper towel.

Step 3~ using non-pareils and carnival sprinkles, add eyes, noses and buttons to snowmen.

Step 4~ roll out scarves, shape hats and ear muffs from the blue dough for snowmen and press into place.  Store finished snowmints in the refrigerator and add them to your plate of goodies!

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... raspberry cream cheese cookies

We're busy camping this week, so I'm joining up with Abby Sweets for 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies from the road.  


I originally posted this recipe on my blog in January.  We loved these!  Even before joining up with 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies, I've been planning on making these for Christmas.  


Check out the other cookies this week at the bottom of this post!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

2 c. flour

1-2 T. milk

1/4 c. raspberry jam

1/4 c. sugar, set aside to roll dough in

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour until very coarse crumbs. Add milk 1 T. at a time until dough sticks together. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place balls on greased cookie sheet and press thumb or finger into dough to make a well. Spoon small amount of raspberry jam into each well. Bake 12-15 min or until lightly browned.

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... Toffee!

It's week 2 of 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies with Abby Sweets.  I don't know about anyone else but I'm having a blast ... not only thinking of which sweets to make but also looking at everyone else's recipes!  My not-very-scientific count showed 44 links with recipes last week.  How fun!!

Our family has a camping vacation coming up and I've been busy baking and cooking to get a few posts done ahead of their due date.  I'm realizing how much I enjoy different textures, colors, shapes and flavors on a plate of Christmas goodies.  In the end, I think my blog will only have 4-5 cookie recipes... I will, however, have 12 of my favorite yummy recipes to share.

I've adapted this recipe from one I received from my sister.  Each November she and her in-laws get together for a 2-day HUGE cookie/candy making venture.  When they are finished, everyone has a wide variety of Christmas cookies and candy to set out or use as gifts.  When our family gets together for the holidays, everyone waits eagerly for my sister to bring the goodies ... and, I go for the toffee first!

Enjoy! ... and check out the links at the bottom of this post for more yummy recipes!!

TOFFEE

2 c. butter (not margarine)

2 c. sugar (can be either white or brown)

2 T. light corn syrup

1/3 c. water

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. sliced almonds

Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan with foil, extending over edges.  Spray foil with non-stick spray.

In a heavy, 3 qt saucepan melt butter.  Stir in sugar, corn syrup and water.  Cook over medium-high heat to boiling.  Stirring frequently. Clip candy thermometer to pan.  Be sure bulb is well covered and not touching the bottom of pan.

Continuing cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently until thermometer registers 290 degrees (soft-crack stage)... between 15-20 minutes.  The mixture will be a dark golden brown, very thick and pulling away from sides of pan.  Remove thermometer and pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.  Cool 5 minutes or until top is just set.  

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of toffee and let stand 2 minutes to melt.  Gently and evenly spread melted chocolate over entire pan of toffee.  Top with nuts, pressing them into the chocolate.  Cool several hours or until set.  

Holding edges of foil, lift candy out of the pan.  Break into pieces.  Store in airtight container.

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... week 1

I'm joining April at Abby Sweets for 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies... mmmm!  For the next 12 Fridays, several bloggers will post a Christmas cookie recipe on the Abby Sweets blog.  Just think of all the yummy new recipes I will have in time for Christmas!  


Check out the links at the bottom of this post for other yummy recipes!

This week, I made mint brownies.  Years ago, I got this recipe from my Mom.  It's been an old standby since... easy to make... delicious to eat... impressive to look at... and my college BFF's favorite!


These brownies are easy to make and very rich to eat.  Adding a few of these small bars to a plate of Christmas cookies gives color and dimension to make it festive.


I didn't really allow myself enough time for these to properly set up before trying to get a picture of them.  I definitely recommend giving the brownies plenty of time to cool and then plenty of time to set up before removing them from your pan.

MINT BROWNIES

BROWNIES:

4-1 oz squares baking chocolate

3/4 c. butter

2 c. sugar

3 eggs 

1 t. vanilla

1 c. flour

Foil line a 9 x 13 inch pan and spray liberally with non-stick spray.

In a microwavable bowl, add 4 squares of bakers chocolate with 3/4 c. butter.  Microwave for 2 minutes.  Remove from microwave and stir gently until all chocolate is melted. 

Stir in sugar and eggs, mixing well.  Add vanilla and flour and stir until completely mixed.  The batter will be very runny.

Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Do not over bake.  Cool completely.

MINT LAYER:

2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. butter

1 T. water

1/2 t. mint extract

green food coloring

Beat until smooth.  Spread on cooled brownies.  Cool until stiff.

CHOCOLATE TOPPING:

1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 T. butter

microwave for 1 minute.  Stir until completely melted.  Gently spread on top of mint layer.  Cool slightly.  

Remove foil from pan and cut into small bars before chocolate is completely set.