To make the holiday cookie baking a little easier this year, I decided to do 3 cookies in 3 days. Well, one of them is technically not a cookie and didn’t require baking. The top two chocolate ones are Buckeyes 2 ways, half dipped and fully dipped. Typically I only dip it half way but for those who like a larger chocolate to peanut butter ratio, you can dip the whole thing but it’s harder to get it out of the chocolate. I used a toothpick to dip the balls (heehee, “balls”) into the melted chocolate. I like to use the double boiler method so the chocolate stays melted throughout the dipping process. You could use a microwave but I hate stopping in the middle reheat the chocolate. After making these for years, I’ve come up with a production line style where I scoop all the dough using a small ice cream scooper and then do all the rolling at once. Goes way faster this way.
Next–going clockwise, Almond Crescent Cookie, I always make Almond Crescent Cookies for Christmas every year. These are still our favorite cookies. I use the same production line method as the Buckeyes, scoop all the dough out then roll.
The remaining bunch are Butter Spritz Cookies (recipe below). The trio of red/green (sorry the picture makes it look more orange than red) were the same dough with red and green food gel coloring. The disc on the bottom left was just what was left over in the spritz gun that I rolled and pressed. Spritz cookies can be made with a pastry bag and a larger star tip (or other shaped tip). These are very easy to whip together and bake up fast.
I have another cookie recipe to make, a new one but I’m waiting to do that next week since these cookies are for shipping and for the Mister to bring into work. Here’s a whole plate of spritz cookies (along with a large plate of buckeyes not pictured) for him.
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- food color gel (optional)
- decorating sugar (optional)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter with sugar until creamy.
- Beat in egg and vanilla until blended.
- At low speed, add flour a ½ cup at a time and beat in flour just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.
- If using food color gel, two drops to start if coloring the entire batch one color. I found that one drop is enough for half a batch.
- If using a spritz gun, follow manufacturer’s instructions.
- If using a pastry bag (or a storage bag), spoon dough into bag fitted with a large star tip (about ¾-inch diameter looks nice). Pipe dough into rosettes (about 1½ inches in diameter), about 1 inch apart, onto ungreased large cookie sheet. Sprinkle with decorating sugar if you like.
- Bake cookies 6 to 10 minutes, until cookies are set but NOT browned. It takes about 8 minutes in my oven. Let cookies remain on cookie sheet on wire rack 3 minutes to cool slightly. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely.Store cookies in tightly covered container.
ooh, those almond crescent cookies look so good! actually the whole plate does!
i tried making buckeyes last year and they came out kinda crappy. i saw darlene’s post on buckeyes. mine were mishappen mutants.
Hey CC! Those almond cookies are evil! Can’t have just one.
Did you use creamy or crunchy peanut butter? I always use creamy and prefer Jiff brand for these. They don’t have to be perfectly round to taste good! Mine aren’t very round either, some look like double-sided spin tops. Was your (hee hee) balls too sticky? That happens when there’s not enough powdered sugar. I’ll bring some buckeyes for you next week.
Hi C – here’s the link to mine…
http://pinkcandlesatridgemonthigh.blogspot.com/2010/12/baking-marathon.html
and here’s darlene’s post which inspired me to make my failtastic buckeyes!
http://myburningkitchen.com/2010/11/01/avoid-fruits-and-nuts-you-are-what-you-eat/
i used creamy since that’s what the recipe called for.
well, my bro, husband, and nephews liked it. it was supersweet too and i didn’t even use all the sugar called for in the recipe.
Looks great CAB….I can almost smell them from here!
Thanks Kirk! I love how the house smells after baking these cookies.
I can’t believe I’ve never made Buckeyes before. I’ve seen the recipe and I love PB & Chocolate, just haven’t ever made them before. Your cookies all look so pretty! I’ve only made one of my cookies so far, I’ve got quite a few things left to do (which I will be doing tonight).
Aw, thanks Mary! Depending on what kind of chocolate you use, these can really taste like Reese Peanut Butter Cups.
I love the colorful spritz cookies! I’m trying to muster the energy and time to do my holiday cookie baking. I’m running out of time!
Thanks Kirbie! I know exactly what you mean. I only made exactly what I needed to get by for the time being but I need to do some more here shortly.
The almond crescents are great; I’m going to try and make them. The buckeyes tasted just like a Reeses(which is the only way I eat chocolate) and the flat ones you gave me were just perfect for my morning snack. You do know how to bake!
Aw thanks Cathy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the goodies. I usually make a few of batches almond crescents around this time of year since it seems to be the favorite. The lemon butter cookies are nice with tea since it’s almost like a palette cleanser. I like the touch of lemony flavor in them.