Christmas Cookies

Christmas cookies are the perfect way to celebrate the Holiday season and are a family favorite all the year round. Christmas Cookies are giveaways that is filled with Christmas spirit, loving memories and delicious buttery taste. Christmas cookies are more than just baked goods as these help to stay connected to all loved ones and to friends and family around the world. They are a tangible and tasty link to the Christmas traditions, and memories.

The origin of Christmas cookies is related to Santa Clause. People just made cookies on Christmas because they wanted santa to have something to eat before he would go to the next house and cookies are also a festive thing to eat on Christmas. They are fun to make and decorate and when they are done they look nice. They just taste really and are a good thing to eat on Christmas. Some of the popular recepies of Christmas Cookies are:

Soft Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
1 c Butter, softened
3/4 c Packed brown sugar
1/2 c Granulated sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
3 c All-purpose Flour
1/2 c Wheat germ 2 ts Baking Powder
3/4 ts Baking Soda
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Nutmeg
1/2 c Milk
1 c Raisins

Method
Beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Combine flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in medium bowl. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in raisins. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2" apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in 350'F. oven 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove to wire racks to cool.

Rolled Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 c Butter
1/2 c Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 Egg
2 c Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder

Method
Cream together the margarine, sugar, vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Add the flour and baking powder. Blend until well mixed. Chill the dough for 2 hours (or overnight).
Roll out on a lightly-floured surface until 1/8-inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 375-degree oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool before storing.

Walnut Crescents
Ingredients
1 cup soft butter
1 cup icing sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 3/4 cup flour

Method
Chill dough for 1 hour. Divide into 8 pieces. Roll into 1/2" rolls. Cut in 2" lengths. Taper ends & shape into crescents. Bake for 15 minutes at 300F. Yield - 4 dozen.

Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredient
1 1/4 cups margarine
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
4 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cloves
1/2 cups molasses

Method
Cream margarine, eggs, molasses and sugar. Sift dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients. Roll into balls and dip in sugar or roll and cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters.

Bake 10 minutes for round balls and 8 minutes for rolled cookies at 350F. Let stand before taking out of pan. Cookies will be soft but will harden as they cool. These aren't a really hard gingersnap (unless you overcook them!!).

Apricot Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredient
1 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cup flour Ground Almonds
Apricot jam or jam of choice

Method
Cream butter, sugar & extract together. Add the flour. Shape into teaspoon size balls. Roll in ground almonds. Indent centers and fill with jam. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes at 350F. Yield - 4 dozen.