Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookies are a part of many families' traditions.  These are two of the cookies that my family makes every year.  The Spritz cookies keep well in a closed tin and we always color them to make them extra Christmasy.  The meringue cookies are light and sweet.   They are best the same day they are made, but can also be kept in an air-tight container for a few days.  

My family has so many Christmas food traditions, but this one has always been a favorite of mine.  Be sure to involve the whole family when making Christmas cookies, it is fun, and it will be a tradition that sticks around.

Spritz Cookies

Total Time: 1 hour     Makes: 36 Cookies

• 3 Egg Yolks
• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 1/2 cups Flour
• Colored Sugar (optional)

Combine egg yolks, butter, sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl and beat until combined with a hand mixer.

Gradually add flour while mixing and mix until combined.

Place dough into a cookie press and press cookies onto a cookie sheet.

If desired, top cookies with colored sugar sprinkles.

Bake at 400 for 7-10 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Prep Time: 20 min     Makes: 24 Cookies

• 3 Egg Whites
• 1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips

In bowel of a stand mixer* add egg whites and cream of tartar, and beat just until soft peaks form.

Add sugar and beat until sugar is incorporated and soft peaks form.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon meringue onto a greased cookie sheet (NOT and air-bake cookie sheet).

Place into an oven preheated to 400 and immediately turn oven off.  Leave cookies for 1 1/2 hours or overnight.

*These cookies can be easily made using a hand mixer.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cookies

For my husband, there is only one kind of cookie worth eating: warm chocolate chip cookies.  So any time I try to suggest making a new cookie recipe he suggests that I make my normal chocolate chip cookies.  The first time I made these was a few years ago.  I made over 100 cookies for my sister's baby shower, and my husband must have eaten 50 of them.  


Reminiscent of pumpkin cheesecake, these cookies are moist, sweet, and packed with pumpkin flavor.  Even though they are a little extra work, they are definitely worth the effort.  


If you are making a lot of cookies you can use the squares of parchment several times.


I hope your family has as much fun eating these cookies as they do making them.


Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Filling
Total Time: 2 hours     Makes: 24-30 sandwiches


For Cookies:
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin Puree
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
Pinch of Ground Cloves
Pinch of Nutmeg


For Filling:
1 stick Butter
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 pound Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla


Cookies:
In large mixing bowl combine: brown sugar, sugar, oil and pumpkin.  Mix until well blended.


Add eggs one at a time.  Stir in vanilla.


In medium bowl add: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  Whisk together with fork.


Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients.


Pipe batter in spirals onto 2 inch squares of parchment paper.


Bake at 400 for 11 minutes.


Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool.


Filling:
Beat butter until fluffy.


Add cream cheese to butter and beat together.


Slowly add powdered sugar until incorporated.


Stir in vanilla.


If frosting is too thick add cream or milk a few drops at a time until they are the correct consistency.


Spread frosting on bottom of cookie and top with another cookie.




Linking Up With:


Three Weeks of Thanks @ The Artsy Girl Connection
Ultimate Recipe Swap @ Life As Mom