Fruit Cake Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup candied cherries
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup mixed candied fruits and peels

Preparation:

Cream shortening and sugar until light. Add egg and beat until well blended. Reserving a little of the flour to toss with the fruit. Combine remaining flour with the salt and soda. Add the dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Toss fruits with the reserved flour. Fold in the floured fruits and chopped pecans.

Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches between cookies. Bake at 400° for 8 to 13 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

Makes from 3 to 5 dozen fruit cake cookies. Store in an airtight container.

CHRISTMAS COCONUT MACAROONS

CHRISTMAS COCONUT MACAROONS (*Can be made Gluten Free)

2 egg whites
dash of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
green food coloring* (natural, kosher or vegan)
15 maraschino cherries, halved & drained* (natural, kosher or vegan)

Measure coconut into separate bowl, and color with green food coloring.

Beat egg whites (at room temperature) and salt in a medium mixing bowl until foamy.  Add sugar and vanilla, beating until stiff peaks form.  Fold in colored coconut.

Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined cookie sheets; top each with a cherry half.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from oven, and place cookie sheets on a damp cloth for a few seconds.  Remove macaroons to wire racks to cool.  Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

*For Gluten Free always read the labels on the packages of ingredients to ensure that it is definitely gluten free.

PECAN CRISPIES

2 egg whites
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups pecan halves

Beat egg whites (at room temperature) in a medium mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.  Gradually sprinkle sugar over beaten whites; continue to beat until well blended.  Fold in flour and pecans.
*They're very good drizzled with chocolate syrup also!  Or chocolate mint syrup for Christmas....just add a tiny bit of mint flavoring to the syrup.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased and floured cookie sheets.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Makes about 4 dozen.

SWEDISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES

SWEDISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 Tbsp grated orange rind
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup cake flour
18 candied cherries, halved

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolk, and beat 1 minute.  Add orange rind, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt; beat thoroughly.  Add flour, mixing well.  Chill dough 2 hours.
Beat egg white slightly.  Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls; dip each in egg white, and roll in walnuts.  Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets, and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in flour.  Place a cherry half in center of each cookie.  Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes about 3 dozen.

Stacked Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

Stacked Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

Elizabeth Hait
Kitchen Daily

Make a batch of basic sugar cookie dough. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick, cut dough into stars of graduated sizes and bake. Using food coloring, tint icing green. Pipe a star inside the edges of the cookie and then fill in. Stack the stars on top of each other, beginning with the largest and ending with the smallest, rotating the star on each layer. Break off one point of a small star, set on top and pipe green icing to cover.
*I posted  pic of these cookies on the Cookies page.