Swedish Spritz Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups softened butter
2 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salr
2 teaspoons lemon extract
4 cups all-purpose flour

Method

Cream butter with electric mixer.  Gradually add icing sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg yolks, salt and extract until blended.  Combine butter mixture with flour.  Stir well to blend.  Use cookie press for shapes.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes or until just before starting to brown on edges.  Time depends on size of cookie. 

Makes about 6 dozen cookies. 

Cherry Loaf Pound Cake

For this festive looking loaf you can use either red or green candied cherries.  I like to use half of each.  It keeps well for weeks.  It makes a lovely hostess gift.  

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup candied cherries, halved
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract

Method

In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir well to blend.  Mix 1/2 cup of the flour mixture with cherries.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add remianing 11/2 cups flour gradually.  Stir in extract and floured cherries, mixing until well blended.  Spread mixture in greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 90 to 100 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.  Don't be concerned if the cake cracks on top, it is supposed to. 

Make 1 large loaf. 

 

 

Fruit and Nut Refrigerator Cookies

These cookies are so pretty on a tray of assorted Christmas cookies.

 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teasopoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chopped candies cherries

Method

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir well to blend.  Cream butter, shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla thoroughly.  Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture.  Mix well.  Add nuts and fruit.  Chill 1/2 hour for easier handling if desired.  Shape dough into 2 smooth rolls about 1 1/2" in diameter.  Wrap in waxed paper and chill overnight or until firm.  Slice with sharp thin knife into 1/4" slices.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 12 minutes, or until golden.  Makes about 8 dozen cookies. 

Peanut Butter Snowballs

When my kids were little, I used to ask them what treats they wanted me to make at Christmas.  They always said Peanut Butter Snowballs.  I have been making these for about 20 years.  We never get tired of them.  They're easy, fast and delicious! 

Ingredients

1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 cup graham crumbs
8 squares semi-sweet Baker's chocolate

 

Method

Beat sugar, peanut butter and butter.  Stir in crumbs.

Shape into 1-inch balls and place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

Chill for 30 minutes or until firm.

Melt chocolate over hot water or in microwave on MEDIUM power for 2 to 3 minutes.  Dip balls and place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet, chill.  Store covered in refrigerator. 

Makes 24 snowballs.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf

Ingredients

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon dry powdered mustard
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup strong prepared black coffee
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin
2 cups pecans, chopped

 

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a large (7 cup capacity) 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.  Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and mustard and set aside. 

In a large bowl, cream the butter.  Add the sugar and eggs.  Beat to mix.  On low speed, add half of the dry ingredients, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Beat only until barely incorporated.  Mix in the coffee.  Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat only until incorporated.  Add the pumpkin, scraping the bowl as necessary, beat only until incorporated.  Stir in the pecans. 

Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Then, with the back of a spoon, form a trench down the middle, 1/2 to 1 inch deep.  The trench will prevent the middle from rising too high, although it will rise some and form a crack down the length of the cake (it is supposed to). 

Bake for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes, until the top feels slightly firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.  Turn the loaf out the pan and let cool on a wire rack. 

Makes 1 large loaf.

Sweetheart Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter (no substitutes), softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons raspberry or strawberry preserves
Confectioners' sugar

Method

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add egg yolks; mix well.  Stir in flour by hand.  On a lightly floured surface, gently knead dough for 2-3 minutes or until thoroughly combined.  Roll into 1-inch balls.  Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.  Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each.  Fill each with 1/4 teaspoon of preserves.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove to wire racks.  Dust warm cookies with confectioners' sugar.  Cool.  They freeze well.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Fudge Puddles

These little cups of heaven are essentially a peanut butter cookie baked in a small muffin cup and then filled with a soft smooth fudgie filling. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
Cream butter, peanut butter, white and brown sugars.  Mix in egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Stir the flour mixture into creamed mixture.  Shape dough into 48 balls, 1 inch each.  Place each ball in one compartment of a mini muffin tin.
Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Then carefully remove to wire racks. 
For the filling, melt chocolate chips in the microwave.  Stir in milk and vanilla, mix well. 
Using a piping bag or even a zip type bag with a small corner cut out, fill each cup with the filling. 

Makes 48 mini cups.