Holiday Cookie Recipies

  
Annette Baal - Kanata ON

Merry Christmas. Great new set folks, and you all are doing a terrific job. I am actually making these cookies right now. The recipe is a family favourite from my Dutch grandmother. It is especially poignant to make them now because she died in May of 2002 and my grandfather followed her three weeks later. We still miss them a lot but when I make these cookies, I remember all the love they gave me and my sister, my mom and my dad, and how much we looked forward to these cookies every Christmas.

Ice Box Cookies
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • pinch of baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 -3/4 cups of walnut bits
  • 1/2 cup EACH of green and red maraschino cherries, chopped

    Method:
    1. Cream butter, brown sugar, flour, baking soda and vanilla.
    2. Add chopped cherries and walnut bits.
    3. Mix well by hand.
    4. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion into a long (log)
    roll.Wrap in wax paper.
    5. Leave in refrigerator overnight until firm.
    6. Slice (approx. 20 cookies per roll) and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
    7. Bake at 350 F for 7 minutes.
    Enjoy!

    Mary Brown - Smithfield, NB

    CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

  • 1 cup margarine (hard squares; I use Parkay)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs well beaten
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 pkg. Jello brand Vanilla Instant Pudding mix
  • 2-1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips (I use Hersey Chipits)

    Method: Cream margarine and sugars together. Add beaten eggs, pudding mix, and vanilla and mix. Sift together the flour, soda and salt and add to mixture, along with the chocolate chips, and mix again. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees Farenheit for 12-15 minutes. Enjoy.

    John Parker - Hamilton Ontario

    Shortbread

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 lb butter
  • 1 cup fruit sugar
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

    Allow butter to soften overnight (or microwave equivalent). Mix ingredients, one at a time, thoroughly, probably resorting to mixing by hand when you have added the all-purpose flour and it is too thick for your mixing tool. Press and roll the mixture into a 12”´18” aluminum pan (commonly called a jelly roll pan). Fork the entire surface through to pan. Bake in a 275°F oven for 1½ hours. Surface should have a slight golden covering when removed from oven. Cut into pieces immediately on removal from oven. This should yield approximately 100 pieces of shortbread.

    Yvonne Groff - Eriksdale, MB

    Watch your show every morning; here's my entry to the holiday cookie recipe. It's an old family recipe and after you've eaten all the shortbread, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate desserts these are a refreshing change of flavour. Hope you enjoy them!

    Ginger Sparklers

  • 3/4 cup margarine
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • Cream until light & fluffy.
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. cloves
  • 2/3 cup cut up candied ginger (crystallized ginger)

    Measure and sift dry ingredients, stir thoroughly, add candied ginger. Shape into 1 inch balls, roll in white sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Press with fork. Bake at 375 degrees F. 8-10 minutes.

    Chris Caletti - Ottawa, Ontario

    I hope you with "FLIP" over my favourite Christmas cookie.

    CHERRY FLIPS

  • 3/4 cup soft shortening
  • 1/4 cup soft butter
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

    Cream together shortening, butter and sugar. Add salt, extract, flour and nuts. Mix well. Chill dough 15 -20 minutes. Shape into balls, and top each ball with a cherry half (red or green!). Bake @350 on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 - 15 minutes. While still warm, roll in icing sugar. Enjoy!!

    Katie de Vries - Wellesley, Ont.

    Below you will find the best ever recipe for shortbread cookies anywhere. It was given to my mom by a neighbor of my grandmother about 35 years ago in Montreal and we have made it every year since. We lovingly refer to it as Mrs. Gorrings shortbread. As far back as I can remember we would visit our grandparents every summer and no matter what month of the year Mrs. Gorring would always make these cookies for us.

    Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (no Substitutes)
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • 1 cup flour
  • cherries for the top
  • cream butter

    Gradually add icing sugar,corn starch and flour whip using an electric mixer for at least 10 minutes. Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet and top with cherry (or chocolate chips) . Bake at 325 for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown. They will melt in your mouth and keep you coming back for more. Enjoy!

    From the kitchen of: Grandma Jean Stanley - Arbroath Scotland
    Laurie B - Langley BC

    Number of servings: 4 rounds(8pc ea)
    Preparation time: 15 min
    Bake at 275 - 300 for 50-60 min.

    METHOD & INGREDIENTS

  • Soften ½ cup each butter & margarine
  • stir in ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg yolk - DO NOT BEAT
  • Add approximately 2 cups flour, a bit at a time till too stiff to stir.

    Knead very lightly on a floured board.Separate into four equal balls. Pat into discs and roll evenly to ½ inch thick (will spread while cooking). Place on lined cookie sheet. CHILL at least ½ hour. Score into eight wedges. Prick with fork around edge, and make decorative star.Bake in slow oven until lightly brown at edges and firm in the centre. If necessary, trim to fit gift tins while still warm. Cool completely on racks, wrap in wax paper and keep in a cool dark cupboard from 2 weeks to a month.

    Stephanie Teasdale - Calgary, Alberta

    It is best to mix these with a big wooden spoon by hand the old fashion way!! This recipe makes a tonne of cookies, perfect for a cookie exchange at work or for husbands and all of their friends who arrive at your house dirty and sweaty after a day of mountain biking in the Rockies!!

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup golden brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 cups stick margarine or butter, softened (butter is best!!)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cup pecans pieces
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup Skor pieces
  • 1 cup peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips (or use both for real fun)!

    1. Heat oven to 375 F
    2. Mix sugars, butter, and eggs in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. The dough will be stiff but it is good pre-workout to work up your cookie appetite. Stir in the nuts, chips, and Skor pieces.
    3. Place on ungreased cookie sheet (about 1/4 cup of dough per cookie for giant big fun cookies!!) about 2 inches apart. (Air insulated cookie sheets work the best!).
    4. Bake the first batch for about 10-12 minutes or until light brown. The center of the cookie will still be soft but the cookies will continue to bake on the pan when out of the oven. Let sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool (if you can let them be!!).
    5. Pour large glass of milk or coffee and put your feet up and enjoy. Well there it is folks, the secret to my cookie success....enjoy!!

    Sheila Taylor - Hanna, Alberta

    Ginger Sparkles

     

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ cup shortening
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • white sugar for rolling

    Sift together dry ingredients. Cream shortening and gradually add sugar. Add rest of wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients. Dough will be stiff enough to handle. Chill for 10 minutes. Roll into teaspoonful sized balls and roll in sugar to coat. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350F for 12 minutes or until tops crack slightly, Yield 3 dozen.

    Brenda Dyck - Rathwell, Manitoba

    I live in a very small community in Manitoba and it has always been a tradition in our family or should I say for my mother to make her famous Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls. Christmas just isn't Christmas without them. When you have tried these mouth watering chocolate treats it keeps you coming back for more. When it is time to do the x-mas baking it is the first thing on the list out of my husband and children's mouth to make. I am so glad that I have such a wonderful Mother who loves to bake and has passed her love and her recipes of baking down to me. I hope you enjoy!!

    Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls

  • 1 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1 cup Sifted icing sugar
  • 1 cup Chopped dates
  • 1 cup Chopped nuts
  • 1 tbsp Melted butter
  • 5-6 squares 1-inch size of semi sweet chocolate
  • small piece of parafin wax 1 inch square Combine all ingred. except chocolate and wax. Mix well until well blended. Shape into small balls. Melt chocolate and wax in a double broiler on slow heat. Dip balls in chocolate to coat using a spoon. Set on wax paper to set (I put in the freezer on cookie sheet ready faster). Makes about 3 dozen. Freeze great and unthaw great for that unexpected company.

    Merry Christmas from our house to your yours and all the best to everyone in 2004 at Canada Am.

    Sherrisse Rathgeber - Saskatchewan

    Here is my recipe called "Christmas Cookies

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 5 cups flour

    Mix all ingredients together and leave stand overnight in the fridge. The next morning let sit for about a half hour and then begin rolling out dough to about 1/4 inch. I will usually sprinkle just a bit of flour onto the counter before I begin rolling out the dough to prevent sticking. Then I use various cookie cutter shapes (I have stars, wreathes, trees, raindeer and holly leave shapes)to cut out the cookies. I think you get the idea. After you cut the shapes out, place them onto a cookie sheet and then begin the trimming process. I usually place the various toppings in little individual bowls and then begin the most fun of decorating each cookie with many different types of sprinkles (trimmettes). This recipe makes about 4 dozen.

    I bake then at 325 degrees for about 8 - 12 minutes. Depending on how hot your oven is, I watch them carefully to prevent burning. Another hint is to put parchment paper on the cookie sheet. These cookies are not really sweet, but OH SO GOOD!
    They are something my holiday guests and family enjoy year after year.
    Thanks and have a very wonderful HOLIDAY SEASON.

    Scotch Shortbread

    Number of servings: 4 rounds (8pc ea)
    Preparation time: 15 min
    Bake at: 275 - 300 for 50-60 min.
     

    Soften ½ cup each butter & margarine. Stir in ½ cup packed brown sugar and 1 egg yolk (DO NOT BEAT). Add approximately 2 cups flour, a bit at a time till too stiff to stir. Knead very lightly on a floured board. Separate into four equal balls. Pat into discs and roll evenly to ½ inch thick (will spread while cooking). Place on lined cookie sheet. CHILL at least ½ hour. Score into eight wedges. Prick with fork around edge, and make decorative star. Bake in slow oven until lightly brown at edges and firm in the centre. If necessary, trim to fit gift tins while still warm. Cool completely on racks, wrap in wax paper and keep in a cool dark cupboard from 2 weeks to a month.

    WEDNESDAY - Laurie B. - Langley BC

    This is a recipe handed down from my late Grandma Jean, who was a native of Arbroath Scotland. She was a frugal wife and mother in the railroad hub of Kamloops during the Dirty Thirties, and during the rationing of the Second World War. This recipe used margarine, and brown sugar since that was what was available. My Mother, in the more affluent 50s changed the recipe to be half butter, half margarine "for taste" which develops fully only after the Rounds have aged for a couple of weeks to a month in a cool dark cupboard. Time is the secret ingredient.

    Scotch Shortbread

    Number of servings: 4 rounds (8pc ea)
    Preparation time: 15 min
    Bake at: 275 - 300 for 50-60 min.
     

    Soften ½ cup each butter & margarine. Stir in ½ cup packed brown sugar and 1 egg yolk (DO NOT BEAT). Add approximately 2 cups flour, a bit at a time till too stiff to stir. Knead very lightly on a floured board. Separate into four equal balls. Pat into discs and roll evenly to ½ inch thick (will spread while cooking). Place on lined cookie sheet. CHILL at least ½ hour. Score into eight wedges. Prick with fork around edge, and make decorative star. Bake in slow oven until lightly brown at edges and firm in the centre. If necessary, trim to fit gift tins while still warm. Cool completely on racks, wrap in wax paper and keep in a cool dark cupboard from 2 weeks to a month.

    WEDNESDAY - Stephanie Teasdale - Calgary

    It is a well known fact among my friends, family, and co-workers, that I make the Best ever, fully loaded, chocolate chip extravaganza cookie!! I know that when my son Liam is old enough to eat solid foods, he will be bragging to his classmates and friends that his mom makes the best cookies ever!! It is best to mix these with a big wooden spoon by hand the old fashion way!! This recipe makes a tonne of cookies, perfect for a cookie exchange at work or for husbands and all of their friends who arrive at your house dirty and sweaty after a day of mountain biking in the Rockies!!

    Chocolate Chip Extravaganza Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup golden brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 cups stick margarine or butter, softened (butter is best!!)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cup pecans pieces
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup Skor pieces
  • 1 cup peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips (or use both for real fun)!

    1. Heat oven to 375° F
    2. Mix sugars, butter, and eggs in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. The dough will be stiff but it is good pre-workout to work up your cookie appetite. Stir in the nuts, chips, and Skor pieces.
    3. Place on ungreased cookie sheet (about 1/4 cup of dough per cookie for giant big fun cookies!!) about 2 inches apart. (Air insulated cookie sheets work the best!).
    4. Bake the first batch for about 10-12 minutes or until light brown. The center of the cookie will still be soft but the cookies will continue to bake on the pan when out of the oven. Let sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool (if you can let them be!!).
    5. Pour large glass of milk or coffee and put your feet up and enjoy.

    Sheila Taylor - Hanna, Alberta

    This recipe came from my Great Aunt and has been handed down in our family for at least 80 years. It makes a delicious chewy cookie that looks fancy without the fuss.

  • Ginger Sparkles
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ cup shortening
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • white sugar for rolling

    Sift together dry ingredients. Cream shortening and gradually add sugar. Add rest of wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients. Dough will be stiff enough to handle. Chill for 10 minutes. Roll into teaspoonful sized balls and roll in sugar to coat. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350F for 12 minutes or until tops crack slightly, Yield 3 dozen

    John Parker - Hamilton, Ontario

    This recipe came from my grandmother, Elizabeth Swales, who was a WW1 war bride. She taught my mother and all of my sisters how to make this delicious shortbread.

    Shortbread

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 lb butter
  • 1 cup fruit sugar
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

    Allow butter to soften overnight (or microwave equivalent).

    Mix ingredients, one at a time, thoroughly, probably resorting to mixing by hand when you have added the all-purpose flour and it is too thick for your mixing tool. Press and roll the mixture into a 12”´18” aluminum pan (commonly called a jelly roll pan). Fork the entire surface through to pan. Bake in a 275°F oven for 1½ hours. Surface should have a slight golden covering when removed from oven. Cut into pieces immediately on removal from oven. This should yield approximately 100 pieces of shortbread.

    Chris Caletti - Ottawa, Ontario

    I am never really one to respond to this type of search or promotion, but I love my Christmas cookies so much, I just had to give this a try. The name of my Christmas cookie, as it officially reads on my recipe card (written by my mother, and beginning to fade) is "Cherry Flips". Around the house, these cookies are now referred to as "Snowballs". This new name has simply come to exist because of the look of the finished product! I hope you with "FLIP" over my favourite Christmas cookie:

    CHERRY FLIPS

  • 3/4 cup soft shortening
  • 1/4 cup soft butter
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

    Cream together shortening, butter and sugar. Add salt, extract, flour and nuts. Mix well. Chill dough 15 -20 minutes. Shape into balls, and top each ball with a cherry half (red or green!). Bake @350 on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 - 15 minutes. While still warm, roll in icing sugar. Enjoy!!

    TUESDAY - Katie de Vries - Wellesley, ON.

    Below you will find the best recipe for shortbread cookies anywhere. It was given to my mom by a neighbor of my grandmother about 35 years ago in Montreal and we have made it every year since. We lovingly refer to it as Mrs. Gorring's Shortbread. As far back as I can remember, we would visit our grandparents every summer and no matter what month of the year Mrs. Gorring would always make these cookies for us.

    Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (no substitutes)
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • 1 cup flour
  • Cherries for the top

    Cream butter, gradually add icing sugar,corn starch and flour whip using an electric mixer for at least 10 minutes. Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet and top with cherry (or chocolate chips) . Bake at 325 for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown. They will melt in your mouth and keep you coming back for more. Enjoy!

    Tuesday - Sherrisse Rathgeber

    This is a recipe that has been passed down from my grandmother to my mother and then on to me. For 30 years it was my Mom's family tradition to start the holiday season with baking sugar cookies (I always called them "Christmas Cookies"). It's now 10 years since my mom has passed away and (even though she is no longer with us) I still continue the familly tradition by beginning my holiday season with making these wonderful cookies. And by the way, now as a "big" kid I still enjoy trimming the cookies and oh YES, I do enjoy eating them too. They are not too sweet, but just right for dipping or not - depending on whether or not you are a dipper.

    "Christmas Cookies"

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 5 cups flour

    Mix all ingredients together and leave stand overnight in the fridge. The next morning let sit for about a half hour and then begin rolling out dough to about 1/4 inch. I will usually sprinkle just a bit of flour onto the counter before I begin rolling out the dough to prevent sticking. Then I use various cookie cutter shapes (I have stars, wreathes, trees, raindeer and holly leave shapes)to cut out the cookies. I think you get the idea. After you cut the shapes out, place them onto a cookie sheet and then begin the trimming process. I usually place the various toppings in little individual bowls and then begin the most fun of decorating each cookie with many different types of sprinkles (trimmettes). This recipe makes about 4 dozen.

    I bake then at 325 degrees for about 8 - 12 minutes. Depending on how hot your oven is, I watch them carefully to prevent burning. Another hint is to put parchment paper on the cookie sheet.

    Tuesday - Brenda Dyck - Rathwell, Manitoba

    I live in a very small community in Manitoba and it has always been a tradition in our family or should I say for my mother to make her famous Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls. Christmas just isn't Christmas without them. When you have tried these mouth watering chocolate treats it keeps you coming back for more. When it is time to do the x-mas baking it is the first thing on the list out of my husband and children's mouth to make. I am so glad that I have such a wonderful Mother who loves to bake and has passed her love and her recipes of baking down to me. I hope you enjoy!!

    Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls

  • 1 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1 cup Sifted icing sugar
  • 1 cup Chopped dates
  • 1 cup Chopped nuts
  • 1 tbsp Melted butter
  • 5-6 squares 1-inch size of semi sweet chocolate
  • Small piece of parafin wax 1 inch square

    Combine all ingredients except chocolate and wax. Mix well until well blended. Shape into small balls. Melt chocolate and wax in a double broiler on slow heat. Dip balls in chocolate to coat using a spoon. Set on wax paper to set.(I put in the freezer on cookie sheet, it's ready faster). Makes about 3 dozen. Freeze and unthaw for that unexpected company.

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