Christmas baking

I’ve done a lot of baking this month with plans for Santa cookies this weekend.

Snickerdoodles  are my favorite Christmas cookie.  We made them for Santa last year and plan to do so again this year.

Monkey was a much bigger help with them this year.  She rolled them around in the cinnamon sugar mix and put them on the cookie sheet (even if I did have to space them out better before popping them in the oven. HA).  

We also made Snow Drops with Chocolate Kisses.  I’ve always associated these with Christmas too, as we’ve been having them at Christmastime since I was a kid.  This is yet another one of those recipes I don’t know where it originated but we’ve been using it for a really long time.

Snow Drops with Chocolate Kisses

• 1 cup soft butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 package chocolate kisses
• powdered sugar
• Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add flour and nuts.
• Chill dough.
• Shape 1 tbs dough around each kiss and roll into a ball. 
• Bake at 375 for 12 minutes or until set (not brown). 
• Roll in powdered sugar while warm.

We also tried a new treat yesterday for T to bring to his department Christmas party today (he ran off with them before I could get a picture).  I’m not sure where I found this recipe, but I’ve had it in my stack to try for quite a few years.

Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup “quick” oats
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Beat margarine and peanut butter for 30 seconds.
• Add sugars and beat until fluffy.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Stir together flour, soda and salt.
• Add to beaten mixture and beat until blended.
• Stir in oats.
• Spread mixture in 13x9.2 pan. 
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
• Remove to rack and sprinkle with chocolate pieces.
• Let stand 5 minutes and spread to cool.
• If desired, make an icing of 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup peanut butter and 2-3 tbs milk to drizzle over the bars.

Enjoy your kitchens!