Southern Christmas Cookies

I love Christmas cookies and candy. They are fun to make and even more fun to eat. We can worry about the pounds in January! These are a couple of my favorite cookbooks for Christmas treats.

Peppermint Meringues

2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup sugar
6 drops red food coloring (optional)
1 (6 oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels

Combine egg whites (at room temperature) and peppermint extract; beat until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. (Do not underbeat.) Fold in food coloring, if desired, and chocolate morsels.

Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 200 degrees for 1 hour or until dry and set. (Cookies should not brown.) Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen.

Gingerbread Cookies
Perfect for making gingerbread men that you can decorate with sprinkles and raisins and candy

cup packed brown sugar>
1/3
cups dark molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups all-purpose flour
2teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

In large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet lightly with shortening or spray with cooking spray. On floured surface, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with floured gingerbread cutter or other shaped cutter. On cookie sheet, place cutouts about 2 inches apart.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, vanilla and half-and-half until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Add food colors as desired. Frost cookies; decorate with raisins, chocolate chips and candies.

Santa Kisses

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (9 oz) package chocolate kisses
powdered sugar

Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add flour gradually until well blended. Stir in pecans. Chill dough about 1 hour. Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Mold about 1 tablespoon of dough around each chocolate kiss, covering candy completely. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet until they just turn golden around the edges, about 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Cool on wire racks. When completely cool, dust with powdered sugar. Store in airtight container.

We can have some of these cookies while we look at the Christmas village at Mama’s house.

Check out these blogs for lots of Christmas fun and head on down to the bottom of this post to see a Christmas cookie cocktail for today’s lagniappe.

A Holiday Cookie Exchange with A Fine House

Deck the Halls with Thoughts from Over the Rainbow

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday

Today’s Lagniappe: Mexican Cocoa
I found this recipe at The 12 days of Christmas Cookie Cocktails. Looks like some yummy accompaniments to those Christmas cookies!

1 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of chili powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3/4 cup almond milk (can substitute Irish Crème, coffee-flavored liqueur or milk)
Splash of agave nectar (can substitute honey or maple syrup)
1 oz. Silver tequila
Paprika
Cinnamon stick

In a saucepan over low heat add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Toast until spices begin to release their aromas, about a couple of minutes. Using a small whisk or wooden spoon, slowly incorporate the almond milk. Raise the temperature to medium-high and bring to a slow simmer. Stir in the agave nectar and remove from the heat. Rim a mug by dipping into a saucer of water, blotting and dipping into saucer of paprika. Pour in tequila. Add hot cocoa mixture. Stir with a cinnamon stick and serve.

Tagged as: Southern Christmas