Strawberry Cream Cookies

Rhonda

 

My friend Rhonda made these cookies for a gathering of college friends shortly after we graduated, and they since have become one of my favorite Christmas cookies to make each year.  They’re so pretty with the red jam in the center.

 

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 T. vanilla

1 egg yolk

2½ c. flour

Strawberry jelly

 

Cream together butter, sugar and cream cheese.  Add vanilla and egg yolk.  Blend in flour.

 

Chill dough 1 hour; shape into 1” balls.  Dent center of cookie; fill with ¼ t. jam.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.



Peanut Blossoms

Mother

 

1 c. white sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. butter

1 c. peanut butter

2 eggs

1/4 c. milk

2 t. vanilla

3-1/2 c. sifted flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

Hershey kisses (1 lb. +)

 

Cream sugars, butter and peanut butter together.  Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla.  Sift flour, soda, and salt together and stir into cookie batter.  Chill thoroughly for best results.  Shape into balls the size of walnuts and roll in additional granulated sugar.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Press chocolate kiss in center of each cookie while still hot.

 

 

 

Molasses Sugar Cookies

Mother

¾ c. shortening*

1 c. sugar

¼ c. Brer Rabbit molasses (mild is OK)

1 egg

2 t. baking soda

2 c. sifted flour

½ t. cloves

½ t. ginger

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. salt

Melt shortening in a 3 or 4-qt. saucepan over low heat.  Remove from heat; let cool.  Add sugar, molasses and egg; beat well.  Sift together flour, soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.  Form into 1” balls; roll in granulated sugar and place on greased cookie sheet 2” apart.  Bake at 375 degrees, 8-10 minutes.

*Note - Feel free to substitute high quality leaf lard for the shortening (much healthier!!).  I get my leaf lard from Rooster Street Butcher on Broad Street in Lititz.

Crunchy Fudge Sandwiches

Mother

 

1 6-oz. pkg (1 c.) butterscotch morsels

½ c. peanut butter

4 c. Rice Krispies cereal

1 T. water

1 6-oz. pkg (1 c.) chocolate chips

½ c. sifted confectioners sugar

2 T. soft butter
 

Melt butterscotch chips with peanut butter in heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until well blended.  Remove from heat. 
 

Add Rice Krispie cereal, stirring until well coated with butterscotch mixture.  Press half of cereal mixture into buttered 8x8x2” pan.  Chill in refrigerator while preparing fudge mixture.  Set remaining cereal mixture aside. 
 

Combine chocolate morsels, sugar, butter & water; stir over hot water until chocolate melts & mixture is well blended.  Spread over chilled cereal mixture.  Spread remaining cereal mixture evenly over top.  Press in gently.  Chill.  Remove from refrigerator for about 10 min. before cutting into squares.

Pecan Tassies

Mother

 

Cheese Pastry:

1-3 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/2 c. butter

1 c. flour

 

Nut filling:

1 egg

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. soft butter

1 t. vanilla

dash of salt

2/3 c. coarsely chopped pecans

 

Cheese Pastry:

Allow cream cheese and butter to soften at room temperature.  Blend.  Stir in flour.  Chill slightly, about 1 hour.  Shape into 2 dozen 1" balls, place in miniature muffin cups.  Press dough on bottom and sides of cups.*

 

Nut filling:

Beat together egg, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt just until smooth.  Divide half the pecans among the pastry-lined cups.  Add egg mixture and top with remaining pecans.  Bake in slow oven (325 degrees) for 25 minutes or until filling is set.

Cool and remove from pans.

 

*Note: I usually double the recipe and use an 8 oz. pkg of cream cheese, but skip the butter in the filling.



Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Dawn S.

 

In a small bowl, combine and set aside:

2 1/2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

 

Combine:

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. margarine*

1/2 c. shortening**

3/4 c. white sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

 

Beat butter and sugar mixture until creamy.  Beat in 2 eggs.  Add flour mixture, mix well.  Stir in 6 oz. (1 c.) chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. 

 

Bake at 375 degrees, 8-10 minutes.

 

Makes 100 2" cookies

 

*I usually substitute butter for the margarine these days, but that combo gave these cookies the perfect texture....
**I did use lard in place of the shortening in 2012, but wasn't happy with how much the cookies spread out.  I'm not giving up, though!

 

Note:  I usually refrigerate the dough, then roll the dough into balls.

For Christmas, I use mint chocolate chips and make the cookies smaller.

 



Sand Tarts

 

Mother/Joy of Cooking Cookbook

My mother faithfully made sand tarts for us every Christmas.  She didn’t roll them as thin as some folks like to do; instead she rolled them a bit thicker so she could  use a variety of Christmas cookie cutters.  I can still remember her groans if the angel lost its head or wings; I have the same trouble!   We would often help her at the beginning of the baking session, and then peter out, leaving her to finish up and decorate.  I’ve enjoyed carrying on the tradition, since my mother’s death in 2003, using the exact same cookie cutters.

Beat until soft:

            ¾ c. butter

Add gradually and blend until creamy:

            1¼ c. sifted white sugar

Beat in:

            1 egg

            1 egg yolk

            1 t. vanilla

Sift before measuring:

            3 c. all-purpose flour

Resift with:

            ¼ t. salt

Stir the flour gradually into the butter mixture until well blended.  The last of the flour may have to be kneaded in by hand.  Chill the dough several hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll the dough, cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place on greased cookie sheets.  Bake 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness.

Ice with White Butter Icing.