Christmas Cookies: Santa's Midnight Snack
© Copyright 2006, Imaginary Greetings, Inc.
Christmas cookies. Who doesn't love them? We dip them in milk. We cover
them with icing and sprinkles. We make them in various shapes and sizes
and devour them with abandon, not giving a second thought to their
caloric content.
Why? Because they're delicious!
We eat cookies year 'round and don't need an excuse to crave them,
but the holiday season is the perfect time to overindulge. No cookie
is better than a freshly baked Christmas cookie, after all. We bake
them with our children while singing Christmas songs or decorating
the Christmas tree. We sneak late-night bites while wrapping gifts
and stuffing stockings. We leave a plate of cookies, along with a
glass of milk, for Santa to nibble on during his Christmas Eve visit.
Of all the food and drink we associate with the holidays, none are
more essential and revered than the Christmas cookie. Which is why
we're bringing you a recipe you'll want to try in your kitchen come
December. Not just any run of the mill cookie can be a Christmas
cookie, after all. You want something special when you celebrate the
occasion with family and friends, and we're happy to oblige by
showing you how to make the best Christmas cookie on the block (no
offense to your grandma's time-tested recipe!). And, to boot,
they're easy and quick to make!
Santa's Midnight Snack (or Rudolph's Sugar Cookie)
3/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Icing and sprinkles
Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large mixer bowl at
medium speed with electric mixer. Mix until light and creamy. Next,
combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture and
mix on low speed until well blended. Cover dough and chill for one
hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll out dough on lightly floured
surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter, cut in
desired shapes (Christmas trees, stockings, Santas, gift boxes,
etc.). Place on baking sheets and bake 8-10 minutes, until edges are
golden brown. After cooling, decorate cookies with icing and
sprinkles as desired.
Did you know that Santa's also a peanut butter fanatic? That's
right, jolly ol' St. Nick can't get enough peanut butter fudge in
that jelly like tummy of his. As long as you don't have any elves at
home allergic to peanut products, give this recipe a try (not a
cookie, we know, so we're fudging a bit on this one ... but, hey,
this recipe is super easy and super tasty!):
Recipe Penultimate Peanut Butter Fudge
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 stick margarine
Pinch of salt
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix sugar, milk, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Boil, stirring
frequently, until it forms a soft ball in cold water. Remove from
stove and add peanut butter and vanilla. Beat until creamy and pour
into buttered 9x9 pan. Let cool before cutting.
Jeremy White, a writer for Imaginary Greetings, Inc.
(http://www.imaginarygreetings.com), is a regular contributing
author specializing in features, sports, business and food writing,
and frequently contributes to a a variety of print and online
publications. To learn more about how to truly light up your
child's eyes this holiday season like never before visit:
http://www.santashotline.com
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