Homemade Holidays
Incredible Cookies
Incredible Cranberry Cookies
These cookies melt in your mouth! Tested in the kitchen of Brooke Chambery, HHI.
Ingredients: ⅔ cup Craisins dried cranberries - ½ cup Pecans, chopped - 1 cup Light brown sugar - 2 cups Bisquick - 1 stick Butter, melted - 1 large Egg - 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Directions: Combine Craisins, pecans, sugar and Bisquick® into a bowl and stir together. Add melted butter, egg and vanilla. Mix well. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place on cookie sheet sprayed with Pam®. Bake at 375° F for 10-12 min.
Baker's note: The dry ingredients of this cookie can be layered in a jar and given as a gift, with the recipe attached.
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Goodness! Tested in the kitchen of Laurie Fultz, HHI
Ingredients: ¾ cup Granulated sugar - ¼ cup Butter, softened - 1 Tbsp water - 1¼ cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips - 1 large Egg - ½ tsp Vanilla extract - 1 cup All purpose flour - ¼ tsp Baking soda - 1 cup Milk chocolate chips - ¾ cup Creamy peanut butter - 2 Tbsps Powdered sugar - Reynolds Staybrite® muffin cups
Directions: Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a medium sized, microwave-safe bowl combine sugar, softened butter and water. Microwave on high for about 45 seconds or until butter is melted. Stir in ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips until melted. Stir in egg and vanilla extract, mix well. Add flour and baking soda, stir until combined. Allow the batter to cool to room temperature (doesn't take very long). Then, stir in ¾ cup milk chocolate chips and remaining ¼ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spoon batter evenly into Reynolds Staybrite® muffin cups inserted into muffin pans.
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top is set and a toothpick inserted into center comes out slightly wet. After brownies are out of the oven, wait for centers to fall. This will happen upon cooling. If not, tap the centers with the back of a teaspoon to make a hole for the peanut butter.
Place peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds then stir, adding powdered sugar. While brownies are still warm, spoon about a tablespoon of peanut butter into the center of each brownie. Top with remaining 1/4 cup of milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cool completely in pan.
Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. To reheat the brownies just pop ‘em in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Almond Joy Cookies & Salted Caramel Cookies
Almond Joy Cookies
How can you go wrong with chocolate and coconut? Tested in the kitchen of Elizabeth Millen, HHI
Ingredients: 1 cup Butter - 1½ cups Granulated sugar - 1½ cups Light brown sugar - 4 Eggs - 3 tsps vanilla extract - 4½ cups All purpose flour - 2 tsps Baking soda - 1 tsp Salt - 5 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips - 2 cups Sweetened coconut - 2 cups Chopped almonds
Directions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Combine dry ingredients, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stir in the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until well mixed, then stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Salted Caramel Cookies
Delicious shortbread-like cookie. Very light! Tested in the kitchen of Wendy Cummings, HHI Yields: 3 dozen
Ingredients: 1 cup Butter, softened - 1 large Egg - 1 tsp Vanilla extract - 1 (17.5 oz) pkg. Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Mix - ¾ cup Salted pretzels, crushed - 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 tsp Coarse salt
Directions: Heat oven to 350°F. Beat butter, egg and vanilla until creamy; stir in cookie mix and pretzels. Form into 36 (1 Tbsp.) balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets 2-inches apart. Flatten balls with bottom of floured glass to 1½-inch diameter. Bake 10-12 minutes until light brown. Cool 2 minutes and transfer to wire rack for further cooling.
Caramel Topping: Microwave condensed milk in a large glass bowl on high for 3 minutes. Milk will boil and rise in bowl during cooking. Microwave on med-low (30% power) 12-16 minutes, whisking occasionally until thick and caramel colored. Carefully spread hot caramel mixture on top of each cookie. If caramel thickens, microwave on high 10 seconds to soften. Sprinkle cookies immediately with a pinch of salt.
No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies & Christmas Tree Bark
No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies
Ooey-Gooey Goodness. Tested in the kitchen of Lindsay Gifford, Beaufort
Ingredients: • 1 stick Butter - 2 cups Light brown sugar - ½ cup Milk - 4 heaping Tbsps Peanut butter - 2 cups 5-minute Quaker Oats - Wax paper
Directions: Melt butter in saucepan on low. When butter is melted, add brown sugar and milk. Stir well and bring to a rolling boil. Continue to boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take the saucepan off heat and add peanut butter. Mix well, making sure all the peanut butter melts. Then add oatmeal and mix thoroughly. It should be a thick mixture. If you need to thicken more, add a little peanut butter and oats. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Then, using a serving spoon to scoop mixture out into circles onto the wax paper. Allow an hour to harden. For faster results, place the cookies in the freezer!
Christmas Tree Bark
Easy and absolutely to die for! Tested in the kitchen of Elizabeth Millen, HHI
Ingredients: 1 box Keebler Townhouse Butter Crackers (or any rectangular butter cracker) - 1 cup Granulated sugar - 2 sticks Butter - 1 bag Semi-sweet chocolate chips - 1 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)
Directions: Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a sided baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place butter crackers end to end to fill up the entire baking pan.
In a small sauce-pan, melt the 2 sticks of butter. Add the cup of sugar and stir until the sugar melts into the butter and thickens a bit. Poor the entire sugar mixture over the crackers. Spread it around to cover all of the crackers. Bake at 350° until golden brown, being careful not to burn. Timing will depend on your oven—usually about 8-9 minutes.
Take pan out and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the crackers. Allow the chips to sit for a minute until they begin to melt. With a knife or spreader, spread the chocolate evenly over all of the crackers. Sprinkle on walnuts (optional).
Let crackers cool by placing them in the freezer. Once cooled, break the sheet of crackers into smaller pieces, like peanut brittle. Store in the freezer. You can make these ahead of time for the holidays. Perfect for gifts, too. Thaw before serving.
Baker’s note: You can use any kind of chips you’d like: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter, etc. You also can change up the nut topping. Try chopped pecans, macadamia nuts or almonds.