I can’t believe we’ve reached the end of the 12 Days of Christmas Treats. Trust me when I say I’ve been looking forward to this series all year, and that I’ve already started planning next year’s treats! I saved one of my favorite cookies for the last day – these thick and chewy gingerbread cookies!

Please forgive the sheer abundance of pictures in this post, but I am just so proud of myself for these cute decorated cookies!  A few months ago I promised you a decorating update, and here it is. I’m improving. 🙂

The cookies themselves are thick and chewy (as thick as you roll them out to be) and heavily spiced with a delicious gingerbread flavor.

The recipe comes from one of my best friends from college, Becky. After we graduated from college, Becky and I would get together every year to bake cookies together. These gingerbread men were a staple of our yearly cookie baking.

The recipe actually comes from her mom, who I believe tore it out of a magazine years ago. Unfortunately, cookie baking is no longer a yearly tradition, due to the fact that we now live halfway across the country from each other. Thankfully Becky was kind enough to send me the recipe when I asked for it. It brings back such good memories when I make these, and it always makes me think of Becky and her mom. Don’t you love cookies with a history?

The spicy gingerbread combined with the sweet icing was a great combination. The cookies are very soft and chewy and kept well in an airtight container for about a week. I’m already planning to make another batch of these before Christmas since I gave most of these ones away. Yum!! 🙂

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Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas Treats!

This is a classic chocolate cookie recipe with a fun Christmas twist. I actually posted about the non-Christmas version of these cookies once before (click over if you want to see some terrible pictures. *Note to self: update with new pictures!).

I haven’t made them in awhile, but the recipe is one of my favorites.  As I was thinking about what cookies to include in the 12 Days of Christmas Treats, I just couldn’t get those cookies out of my mind. And then, in a fortuitous moment, I ran across peppermint baking chips at Meijer. And in that instant I knew I would be making these.

This is a wonderfully fudgy chocolate cookie loaded with chocolate and peppermint baking chips. The cookies are slightly gooey inside (helped out by slightly underbaking them), and every bite includes the sweet creaminess of semi-melted chocolate and the slightest crunch of peppermint candies. If you can’t find the peppermint chips, don’t worry – these are *almost* as good with straight chocolate chips. But if you can get the peppermint, go for it. It adds a delightful Christmas flavor.

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

Peppermint Fudge Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 11/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup peppermint baking chips

Directions:

1. Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and peppermint chips.
2. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. Slightly underbake for fudgy cookies.

adapted from Laura Perron

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Oh my. These homemade cranberry bliss bars are good. Very very good. This is another recipe I found last Christmas and have been waiting a whole year to make. When it came down to it, I almost lost interest in this recipe and substituted it with another. But at the last minute I realized I had all the ingredients, so I figured I might as well make it. And let me say it again – these are good!

If you’ve ever had a cranberry bliss bar from Starbucks (do they still sell them?), then you may know what to expect from these delightful treats.

It’s basically a dense cake/bar with a subtle ginger flavor, studded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. The topping is a delicious cream cheese frosting sprinkled with dried cranberries and drizzled with a sugary glaze. YUM!!

Just describing them makes me want to eat one! I was pleasantly surprised when I took my first bite and realized just how good these were, and from the reactions I got when I served these, I’m pretty sure everyone else enjoyed them as well.

They’re very rich so it’s probably best to cut them into small pieces. These would be perfect paired with a cup of coffee for an afternoon snack. And to be honest, I’ve been quite tempted to eat one for breakfast!

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Yield: Makes 30 (small) servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Homemade cranberry bliss bars - just like you buy at Starbucks, but now you can make them at home!

Ingredients:

Bars:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate)

Frosting:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Drizzling Icing:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

Bars:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until smooth.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, and salt and mix well. Gradually add flour and mix until smooth. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate.
3. Pour the batter into the greased pan, using a spatula to evenly spread the batter in the pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, until edges are light brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until completely smooth.
2. Spread on the completely cool cake. Sprinkle the top with cranberries.

Drizzling Icing:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp of milk, powdered sugar, and vegetable shortening. Gradually add more milk until the icing has a thick but drizzly consistency. I used closer to 2 tablespoons.
2. Put the icing into a ziploc bag and snip off a tiny bit of the corner. Drizzle the icing on top in zig-zags.
3. Cut into squares or triangles and enjoy!

see on Brownies for Dinner, originally from My Little Mochi

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Ok, let’s have a time of confession. How many of you out there eat raw cookie dough when baking cookies? I know, I know –  there’s been a lot of egg scares lately and it’s not considered “safe”, and yet I just can’t stay away from the raw cookie dough!  Seriously, how can you not eat it? It just tastes so good!

Either way, whether you live dangerously or not, these (safe) cookie dough truffles are a must-make. Sweet, creamy, chocolate chip cookies dough that’s covered in chocolate and safe to eat? Yes please 🙂

They’re made similarly to traditional cookie dough, but with sweetened condensed milk and without eggs. When I made them I was a little disappointed at first because I wasn’t a huge fan of them at room temperature. But cold, out of the refrigerator? Oh my gosh…I cannot stop eating them!

They taste just like cookie dough, but actually even better because they’re covered in a shell of chocolate! You really can’t beat it. I had to freeze them to stop myself from eating them. (As a side note, they taste amazing frozen.)

These have earned a permanent place in my Christmas cookie list and I’m sure I’ll be making them year after year.

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Yield: Makes about 5 dozen.

Ingredients:

• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1½ lb. semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, coarsely chopped
• Mini chocolate chips (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is firm enough to form balls.
2. Shape the chilled cookie dough mixture into 1 inch balls. Place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours.
3. When ready to dip the truffles, melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler (or in the microwave at 50% power, stirring frequently). Using a toothpick, dip each chilled truffle, one at a time, coating in chocolate and letting the excess drip off. (If the cookie dough balls become too soft, return them to the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.)
4. Transfer the dipped truffles to a wax-paper lined surface. If using mini chocolate chips for garnish, sprinkle on top quickly after dipping each truffle before the chocolate sets.
5. Store in the refrigerator and serve cold. These can also be frozen for longer storage.

from Annies Eats

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Day 8 of the 12 days of Christmas Treats!

One thing I love to do in the kitchen is to create homemade versions of store-bought treats. It’s probably why I love homemade oreos and homemade hostess cupcakes so much. Naturally, when I saw a recipe for homemade peppermint patties, I knew I had to make them.

These make a fun and unique addition to your Christmas candy bowl, and trust me, people will be impressed that you made these yourself. No need to tell them how easy they are to make!

Clearly some turned out prettier than others…

Good quality chocolate is what makes these stand out. I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate and they were incredible. There is so much more depth of flavor than in a traditional peppermint patty. Plus, the chocolate coating is thicker, and you can’t really go wrong with more chocolate.

I took these to work when I first made them and they disappeared pretty quickly, with plenty of people asking for the recipe. I almost didn’t want to give it out because then everyone would know how simple they are to make!

Give these a try this Christmas season and I guarantee your friends and family will be impressed. 🙂

*Note: I would recommend a shot glass for cutting out your circles. This keeps them nice and small and easy to dip. Also, make sure your chocolate isn’t too warm or the filling will start to melt.

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Yield: Makes 3-4 dozen

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• 1 T shortening
• 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, for kneading and rolling
• 10 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening, and a pinch of salt using an electric mixer (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium speed until just combined.
2. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet into a 7- to 8-inch round (about 1/4 inch thick).
3. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with confectioners sugar. Replace top sheet, then flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.
4. Cut out as many rounds as possible with cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gather scraps, reroll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.

To make chocolate coating:

1. Melt three fourths of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool until thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 80°F.
2. Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl with cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until thermometer registers 88 to 91°F. Remove bowl from pan.
3. Balance 1 peppermint round on a fork and submerge in melted chocolate, letting excess drip off and scraping back of fork against rim of bowl if necessary, then return patty to sheet. Coat remaining rounds, rewarming chocolate to 88 to 91°F as necessary. Let patties stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

from Gourmet Magazine (as seen on Sweet Cheeks in the Kitchen)

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Day 7 of the 12 Days of Christmas Treats

I couldn’t give you a marshmallow recipe without also giving you a hot chocolate recipe! And what a recipe this is! Hot chocolate on a stick has to be one of the best ideas I’ve seen this Christmas season. Basically it’s a block of fudge that you swirl into warm milk, creating the most wonderful mug of hot chocolate you’ve ever had.  It’s smooth and creamy, and the chocolate blends perfectly into the milk, with no powdery residue like you get from so many hot cocoa mixes.

One of the best things about this chocolate treat is you can control the richness of your drink by cutting your chocolate into different size pieces. I cut a few uniform size blocks with sticks in them like you see here for fun and ease of stirring.

But for longer term storage, I cut the chocolate into smaller blocks that I’ve been storing in the freezer. When one of us wants a cup of hot chocolate, we simply take some chocolate out of the freezer (one block for a smaller mug, two blocks for a larger mug), drop it into a mug of milk and microwave. It’s wonderful.

But what might be even more wonderful is the way these chocolate blocks taste on their own. So rich and creamy and fudge-like! If it tells you anything about the difference between Mike and I, I tend to take a chocolate block and just eat it plain, while Mike has yet to do that once. He has, however, had multiple mugs of hot chocolate.

Try this, you won’t regret it.

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick (aka Fudge Blocks)

Yield: Yield: about 3 dozen blocks.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 cups)
• 3 cups (18 oz) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (chopped chocolate bars or chips)
• 3/4 cup (4 oz) unsweetened baking chocolate
• wooden sticks

Directions:

1. Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper. Heat the cream and condensed milk over low heat until steaming. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate; allow it to gently melt.
2. After about 10 minutes, return the chocolate mixture to low heat to completely melt the chocolate. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick and shiny. At this point you could ddd a few drops of flavoring oil (such as hazelnut, coffee, or vanilla).
3. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan; shake the pan gently to level. Sprinkle with cocoa, if desired. Set aside overnight to slowly harden.
4. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out onto a clean cutting surface. Slice into 1 ¼" cubes (or size desired for serving). Heat a knife in hot water and wipe dry before each cut, for smoothest cuts.
5. Stick a wooden stick into the center of each block. Roll in cocoa or crushed peppermint candy, if desired.
6. Wrap in waxed paper, parchment, or plastic wrap to store. (I'm storing mine in a tupperware in the freezer, with layers separated by waxed paper.) These will keep at room temperature 3-4 days, in the fridge about 10 days, in the freezer up to 30 days.

from King Arthur Flour

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Email from Mike to me, sent last December with a picture of peppermint marshmallows: Please make these marshmallows, they look incredible

Me to Mike this December: Remember that picture of peppermint marshmallows you sent me last year? I think I’m going to make them.

Mike: Great – they look incredible!

Mike to me, as I was making the marshmallows: You mean you can actually make marshmallows??

I could spend my time wondering what goes on in my husband’s head, and what he actually thought was going to happen when he sent me the picture of peppermint marshmallows. But I prefer to spend my time eating these delicious sugary treats.

I had no idea making marshmallows would be so easy. Or that they would taste so good! They have a lighter, airier texture than store bought marshmallows. I added peppermint extract to mine which makes them perfect for Christmas. They are absolutely incredible when added to hot chocolate. They melt quickly and infuse the whole drink with sugary peppermint goodness. Mike and I both decided these would be a new holiday tradition!

*Personal notes: I modified the size of the pan from an 8×8 to a 9×13. I tried to use an 8×8, but they overflowed the pan and I had to use various extra containers for all the extra marshmallow goo. I think a 9×13 would be perfect. Also, I like the red marbling, but it’s only on top of the marshmallow. When I make these next year, I will probably add some red food coloring to the marshmallow mixture as it’s mixing to tint the whole thing pink.

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

Peppermint Marshmallows

Ingredients:

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 4 packages (1/4 ounce each) unflavored gelatin
• 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring

Directions:

1. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and coat the parchment with cooking spray. Set aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring and let the mixture come to a boil. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup water in a heatproof bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Set the bowl with the gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in extract. Set aside.
3. Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Whisk gelatin mixture into sugar mixture. With the mixer running, gradually add the sugar/gelatin to the egg whites. Mix on high speed until very thick, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into lined pan. Working quickly, drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow. Using a toothpick, swirl food coloring into marshmallow to create a marbleized effect. Let marshmallow stand, uncovered, at room temperature until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. Cut into squares. (Scissors seemed to be the easiest way to cut these). Roll the cut marshmallows in powdered sugar to prevent sticking and store in a ziploc bag or airtight container.

from Martha Stewart

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Day 5 of the 12 days of Christmas Treats!

Fudge. Sweet, creamy, delicious fudge. Ever since my disastrous fudge experience last year I’ve been a little nervous to try again. Last year, after two failed attempts, I resorted to the easiest fudge recipe ever created. While that was good, I knew that this year I wanted to try something a little bit more difficult. After all, I had another whole year of baking experience under my belt…surely this year I could handle fudge! Surely this year I could get it right on the first try. And it was a success! A delicious success.

I would feel a lot better about myself if we all pretend not to notice that this year’s recipe just might be the second easiest fudge recipe ever created. I mean, it’s made in a microwave (is that cheating?), and it takes approximately 15 minutes. But trust me when I tell you that no one who tastes it would ever guess how easy it is.

The chocolatey caramel in the middle makes it seem fancy and impressive. And the taste is rich and creamy, exactly what you want fudge to taste like.

This was one of Mike’s favorite treats of the whole series. I think his exact quote was “oh my gosh, I love that stuff.”

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

Caramilk Fudge

Ingredients:

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 9 Ghirardelli milk and caramel bars (original recipe called for 6 caramilk bars)

Directions:

1. Grease an 8x8 pan and set aside.
2. Combine brown sugar, condensed milk, and butter in a large microwaveable bowl and microwave for 8 min, stirring every 2 minutes.
3. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with a handmixer for 4 minutes.
4. Pour half the mixture into the greased pan. Lay the candy bars and pour the rest of the mixture on top and smooth.

from La Cuisine d'Helene

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Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas Treats

These dough balls may not look like much. They’re not as cute as peppermint meltaways, and they don’t seem as festive as mint chocolate puddles. But don’t let their humble look deceive you. These peanut butter dough balls are wonderful. I got the recipe from Mama Pea‘s blog, which is one of my favorites! She was trying to replicate Annie The Baker‘s dough balls which I’ve heard wonderful things about. I took her recipe and made some minor tweaks based on what I had in the house.

The result is a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie that tastes more like cookie dough than a baked cookie.  They don’t flatten in the oven, retaining the shape of a ball instead. The inside is soft and slightly crumbly, and a little gooey, like cookie dough. It’s hard to explain, but they have a wonderful texture. Next time I plan to make them even better (and cuter!) by drizzling them with a little melted chocolate…yum!

If you’re looking for a fun new take on chocolate chip cookies, give these a try. They’d make a great new tradition for Christmas!

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Beat butter, peanut butter, sugars and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt and flours.
2. Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and mix until a dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Scoop dough with a mini ice cream scoop, roll into a ball and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. They’ll still be soft and look much like they did going in, but don’t overbake. The bottoms will be very lightly browned. Let the dough balls rest on the pan for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

adapted from Peas and Thank You

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The combination of mint and chocolate always makes me think of Christmas. It’s one of my favorite flavor combinations, and this cookie is no exception.

This is a recipe I saw last year around Christmas, but I’d already made way too many cookies by that point. So I did what any rational person would do and immediately added it to my list for this year. And it lived up to my every expectation.

These minty treats consist of a thin chewy chocolate cookie with a melted andes mint “puddle” on top of it. I’m guessing that’s all I would have to say and you would already want to make these. 🙂

I don’t need to add that the cookie part is soft and fudgy. Or that there is almost more chocolate puddle than cookie. Or that the andes mint actually hardens back up fairly quickly so that you can actually stack them and store them easily.

I don’t need to say all that, but I will. Because I can’t stop talking about these cookies. I can already tell they will be a favorite around our house.

P.S. You can see all of my Christmas treat recipes from over the years at this Christmas Cookies tag. Enjoy! And, as always, let me know if you try any and how you liked them.

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