Christmas Goodies to Munch While You Read!

I'm a baker. I love baking, but I try not to very often because, well, the waistline expands quickly if I get carried away! However, Christmas is always a good excuse to bake and cook up a storm. So let me share with you some of my favorite holiday recipes that I love to munch on while reading by the fire! (Oh, and if you're not a baker, I've also listed some of my favorite store-bought items.)

 Spritz Cookies

I love these cookies more than words can express. And the texture is amazing. I have been making these every year since I was very young. It's actually the first Christmas cookie I ever made. 

Ingredients:

    •    3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    •    1 teaspoon baking powder
    •    1 1/2 cups butter softened
    •    1 cup granulated sugar
    •    1 egg
    •    2 tablespoons milk
    •    1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract 

    •    1/2 teaspoon no-color almond extract

    •    red and green food coloring

    •    sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. In bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat until combined. Do not chill. 

3. Split dough in half (or make two batches) and add red or green food coloring until you get the desired color.

4. Fill cookie press with dough and with desired disks, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Dust with sprinkles.

5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet on cooling rack. Remove from sheet; cool completely.

6. Grab your favorite book and munch away! 

Russian Teacakes

These are amazing, and that's all I'm gonna say. 

Ingredients:

    •    1 cup butter
    •    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    •    6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
    •    2 cups all-purpose flour
    •    1 cup chopped walnuts (I leave these out because I'm allergic.)
    •    1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.

    Candied Peanuts

This is the "top secret" recipe for the Nuts 4 Nuts candied peanuts sold by street vendors in New York City! I was in NYC at Christmastime a few years ago, and LOVED these so much! 

Ingredients:

    •    2 tablespoons water

    •    1/4 cup sugar

    •    1 1/4 cups raw nuts

Directions: 

1. Bring 2 tablespoons water and ¼ cup sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add the nuts and stir often until water evaporates. Continue stirring until the sugar begins to harden on the nuts. When the sugar on the nuts begins to turn light brown, pour them onto a plate to cool. Be careful not to cook the nuts too long or the sugar will burn.

For the non-baker:

Poppycock candied popcorn

Pepperidge Farm Holiday Chessmen Cookies (SOOO buttery!)

Andes Mints

Popcorn Tins

Gardetto's 

Stephen's Hot Cocoa

Man, I'm getting hungry! What holiday treats do you enjoy indulging in?