12 Days of Classic Christmas Cookies

From the cookie left out for Santa to the gifts of cookies we give our neighbors, the cookie is one of the symbols of Christmas. Now a lot of people have gotten away from baking some of the great Christmas Classics so I present them here to you for your baking pleasure. Cookies are a great activity for young and old alike, because there is really no way to mess these up unless you are not watching the oven. These are my family's favorites.

Some have been passed down for generations. If you love to bake and have no one to bake for, consider baking some of these for your nursing home or even your firemen or a preschool. Merry Christmas and Happy Baking from me and mine!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (equals 1 cup)

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cream shortening and sugars and egg and vanilla thoroughly. In another bowl mix flour, baking soda, and salt.For a softer rounded cookie add 1/4cup more flour. Stir dry ingredients and the wet ingredients together and then blend. Mix in the nuts and chocolate pieces. Drop rounded teaspoon fulls of dough about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until delicately browned.

Easy Sugar Cookies

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla thoroughly. In another bowl stir flour, baking powder, and salt together blend with creamed mixture. Chill one hour. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured board. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake 6-8 minutes or until cookies golden.

Candy Cane Cookies

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. red food coloring
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Heat oven 375 degrees F. Cream shortening sugar egg and flavorings In another bowl mix flour and salt and stir into shortening mixture. Divide dough in half. Blend food coloring into one half. Roll a four inch strip using one teaspoon dough from each color. For smooth even strips roll them back and forth on lightly floured board. Place strips side by side and press lightly together and twist like rope.

For best results complete cookies one at a time. If all the dough of one color is shaped first, strips become to dry to twist. Place on greased baking sheet and curve top down to form hook, bake 9 minutes until lightly brown While still warm remove from baking sheet and sprinkle with mixture of Candy and sugar.

Snickerdoodles

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the shortening and the 1 1/2cup sugar and eggs thoroughly. Measure flour blend the flour and cream of tartar and soda and salt together. Shape dough into 1 inch balls Roll in mixture of 2 tbsp sugar and the cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet Bake 8-10 minutes. These cookies puff up at first and then flatten out. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Coconut Macaroons

• 1 Tbsp. Flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups finely chopped or shedded coconut

Combine the flour salt and sugar sift into a bowl. Beat until stiff and peaky the egg whites. Fold into flour mixture. Add 1/2 tsp. of vanilla, Fold in carefully two cups of coconut. Drop by teaspoon onto lightly greased waxed paper on cookie sheets. Allow space for spreading bake oven 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and dry on surface. Makes about 32 cookies.

Cranberry Drops

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. orange juice
• 1 egg
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. soda
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cranberries

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars together. Beat in milk orange juice and egg. Stir together flour baking powder and salt and soda. Blend well with creamed sugars. Stir in chopped nuts and cranberries. Drop dough by teaspoon fulls on to greased baking sheet and bake 10=15 minutes. Makes 11 dozen cookies.

Christmas Jewels

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. mace
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 2 1/2 cups mixed candied fruit about one pound
• 2 cups chopped nuts

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix shortening, sugar, molasses and egg . Stir all of the dry ingredients together. Blend in shortening mixture. Stir in fruit and nuts. Drop dough by teaspoon fulls about 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheet Bake 12-15 minutes Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Crinkles

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate melted
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup confectioners sugar

Mix oil and chocolate and 2 cups sugar blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. In another bowl mix dry ingredients and then add to oil mixture. Chill several hours or overnight. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop by teaspoons full dough into the confectioners sugar then roll in the sugar and shape into balls. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Pecan Spice Cookies

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 4-5 dozen pecan halves for decorating tops

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix shortening and sugar and egg thoroughly. In another bowl mix dry ingredients Stir into shortening mixture. Stir in chopped pecans. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches on greased baking sheet. Place a pecan half on top of each cookie. Flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes. 4-5 dozen cookies

No Bake Chinese Cookie Balls

• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp. instant coffee
• 1/2 cup hot milk
• 1 3/4 cup graham crackers crumbs
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Melt chocolate over hot water and then remove from heat. Add corn syrup and sugar and mix. Combine instant coffee and milk and then stir into the mixture. Add nuts and crumbs and vanilla and Mix well. Shape into small balls roll balls into confectioners sugar. Chill. Makes 70 balls.

No Bake Rum Balls

• 2 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 Tbsp. sifted cocoa powder
• 3/8 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup rum
• 2-3 Tbsp. dark corn syrup

Mix all together until thoroughly combined. Dip fingers into the confectioners sugar and form rum mixture into balls. Place on waxed paper and let set at least four to five hours to mellow the rum. Roll balls in confectioners sugar again. 4-5 dozen

Gingerbread People

• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 7 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Decorators frosting

Mix the molasses, brown sugar, water and shortening Mix in remaining ingredients except the frosting.

Chill for a least two hours. Heat oven 350 degrees F. Roll dough a quarter of an inch thick on floured board. Cut with floured gingerbread cutters or other favorite shapes. Place about 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until no indentation remains when touched, 10-12 minutes. Cool and decorate with frosting. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.