Reindeer Noses
I would like these candies based on appearance alone, so it's an added bonus that they taste great. To make Reindeer Noses, a rich chocolate fudge is molded into balls, then topped with a candied cherry and rolled in coconut. If you're not a candied cherry fan you can substitute any type of red candy or decoration for the same effect. These stunning candies are eye-catching and make a perfect holiday party treat.
Reindeer Noses Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Today's cookie recipes come from Linda Larsen, our Guide to Busy Cooks, who suggests Roll Out Butter Cookies
These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are the essence of Christmas. Make a bunch and have a cookie decorating party. She also likes Peanut Sitting-Pretties Thumbprint Cookies. The tender butter cookie is rolled in walnuts, then the thumbprint is filled with a fluffy icing and topped with candies.
Sugarplums
Okay, folks. We all know about sugarplums from the classic line in the Christmas poem: "The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads." But does anyone know what a sugarplum actually is?
I'm here to tell you that Sugarplums are a delightful old-fashioned candy made from an assortment of dried fruit and nuts. Supposedly, Sugarplums got their name by including dried plums, or prunes, in the list of ingredients. My recipe doesn't call for prunes (I like using figs, dates, and cranberries), but it is very flexible, so you can customize them with whatever you have on hand.
Sugarplums Photo ©2008 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Today's recipe is from Teri Gruss, our Guide to Gluten Free Cooking. If you love traditional Christmas cookies but need to cook gluten-free this season, try these Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men. It's adapted from a recipe by Jacqueline Mallorca, "Rice Flour Gingerbread Cows", featured in her fabulous cookbook, The Wheat-Free Cook.
Gingerbread Truffles
I know I should love all of my candy creations equally, but I must admit, these Gingerbread Truffles are at the very top of my holiday candy list. If you are a gingerbread fan, you'll love these simple truffles, which taste almost exactly like gingerbread cookie dough. This recipe is actually a variation of rum balls (sans rum). A gingersnap cookie base is mixed with toasted nuts, white chocolate, and plenty of spices to give these candies a warm, wintery flavor that's perfect for any holiday party.
Gingerbread Truffles Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Today's cookie recipes come from Diana Rattray, our Guide to Southern Food. She suggests Mom's Date Drop Cookies. A delicious date filling makes these easy drop cookies extra-special, and they make a great addition to your Chirstmas cookie list. Raspberry-Filled Almond Cookies are made with a cream cheese cookie dough rolled in coarsely ground almonds, and they're filled with a dab of seedless raspberry jam.
Orange Snowballs
Orange Snowballs combine three of my favorite things: citrus, hazelnuts, and coconut. These balls have a wafer cookie base, with lots of orange and hazelnut flavor, which is covered with a liquidy sugar coating, then rolled in coconut for that freshly-fallen-snow look. (Or so I assume--don't trust the California native when it comes to snow). These candies are good at room temperature, but I prefer them fresh out of the refrigerator, when the coldness combines with the zesty orange flavor to produce a rich, refreshing bite of winter.
Orange Snowballs Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Today's cookie is from Syrie Wongkaew, our Guide to Australian Food. Chocolate Melting Moments are filled with a creamy vanilla icing and then sandwiched together. They literally melt-in-your-mouth!
Fruit and Nut Balls
Sunday December 6, 2009
Fruit and Nut Balls have the perfect balance of rich chocolate, tangy fruit, and crunchy nuts. This recipe is very flexible, so you can try different pureed fruits in place of the applesauce, different dried fruits for the cranberries, and different nuts in place of the walnuts. With a little experimenting, you will soon have a candy perfectly customized to suit your tastes!
Fruit and Nut Balls Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
About.com Cookie Exchange
Today we have two recipes from Fiona Haynes, our Guide to Low-Fat Cooking. If you want to indulge this season without the guilt, she suggests low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies. By using half the normal amount of butter, and substituting an egg white for a whole egg, these make a wonderful and relatively guilt-free indulgence. The chocolate flavor is enhanced by using cocoa powder as well as a sprinkling of miniature chocolate chips. If you want something lighter, then these fat free Chocolate Peppermint Meringue Cookies will surely fit the bill. Crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, they make a tasty sweet and minty morsel.
Rum Balls
Friday December 4, 2009
Rum Balls are a holiday classic. These simple and delicious little candies and are made with wafer crumbs, chocolate, and a generous helping of rum (or bourbon). They are traditionally "aged" for a period of time up to several weeks, to make the flavors meld and the texture smooth out. If you're planning on serving or gifting Rum Balls this Christmas, this week is the perfect time to get started in the process.
Rum Balls Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
About.com Cookie Exchange
Today's recipe comes from Stephanie Gallagher, our Guide to Cooking for Kids. She suggests
sugar cookies, a classic Christmas treat. Soft, tender and buttery, but not too sweet, these sugar cookies are perfect for decorating.
Hazelnut-Orange Meringues
Thursday December 3, 2009
Not quite a candy, not quite a cookie, meringues fall into that gray area of desserts that refuse easy categorization. To avoid confusion, I just file them under "Delicious" and leave it at that. These Hazelnut-Orange Meringues feature a subtle orange flavor and nutty toasted hazelnuts in a light, crispy meringue shell. Dipping the meringues in chocolate is an optional step, but I highly recommend it--the chocolate really complements the orange and hazelnut flavors. These elegant fingers make a nice teatime or after-dinner treat.
Hazelnut-Orange Meringues Photo ©2008 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
About.com Cookie Exchange
Today's cookies are from Jessica Harlan, our Guide to Cooking Equipment. She recommends
spritz cookies, which are delicate and rich, thanks to the addition of cream cheese in the dough. Use a cookie press to turn the dough into
beautiful shapes that can be decorated with sugars and sprinkles.
Meringue Mushrooms
Wednesday December 2, 2009
Meringue Mushrooms are the classic accompaniment to the traditional buche de noel, or Christmas yule log cake. These delicate meringue mushrooms can look so realistic sitting on the log-shaped cake, people sometimes don't realize that they are an edible candy! Meringue mushrooms can last for several weeks when stored in a cool, dry environment, so if you are thinking of making a yule log this December, why not save yourself some time and make your mushrooms in advance?
And if you have never made meringue before, fear not! I have created a step-by-step photo guide showing
how to make meringue mushrooms from beginning to end. No more excuses--go have fun with fungus!
About.com Cookie Exchange
Carroll Pellegrinelli, our Guide to Baking, suggests these
Butter
Spritz Cookies. These small, delicate cookies are made with a cookie press. Cookie presses typically come with several disks to make various shaped cookies like Christmas trees, hearts, flowers and so on.
Meringue Mushrooms Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Peppermint Meringues
Tuesday December 1, 2009
Candy canes are starting to hit store shelves, but it's a bit too early in the season (or a bit too close to the excesses of Thanksgiving) to start mainlining sugar right and left. If you still want to get your pepperminty fix, try using the candy canes in this recipe for Peppermint Meringues. Meringues are basically egg whites and a little sugar, which makes them a great low-calorie, fat-free snack. Candy cane pieces (or any hard mint candy) are the not-so-secret ingredient in these refreshingly minty treats, and they're a great solution the next time you get the urge to binge on holiday sweets.
Announcing the About.com Holiday Cookie Exchange!
Every year around holiday time, the About.com food guides get together and exchange our favorite holiday cookie recipes. For the next several weeks we'll be including these recipe links in our blog posts, to spread the holiday cheer and introduce our readers to some new recipes.
First up is Barbara Rolek, our Guide to Eastern European food, who has two delicious and unusual cookies to share.
Kolaczki exist in most Eastern European cuisines and are spelled variously as kolaci, kolache, kolacky, kolachky, among others. Fillings run the gamut of apricot to raspberry to prune to cheese, and some truly untraditional flavors like pineapple are sneaking into the mix. This recipe starts with a flaky cream cheese dough.
Czech Bar Cookies or cukrovi are a delightful blend of nuts, almond paste and strawberry filling. Best of all, they're easy to make and keep well.
Peppermint Meringues Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Cranberry Truffles
Friday November 27, 2009
Cranberry Truffles combine dark chocolate with cranberry sauce and orange zest to produce delightfully fruity truffles with just a hint of tang. I like to top these with chopped toasted pecans, but you could also use dried cranberries, candied orange peel, or leave them plain. I love this recipe because the filling stays fairly soft, so if you serve them at room temperature, they literally melt in your mouth upon first bite.
Cranberry Truffles Photo ©2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Fruit and Nut Balls have the perfect balance of rich chocolate, tangy fruit, and crunchy nuts. This recipe is very flexible, so you can try different pureed fruits in place of the applesauce, different dried fruits for the cranberries, and different nuts in place of the walnuts. With a little experimenting, you will soon have a candy perfectly customized to suit your tastes!
Fruit and Nut Balls Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
About.com Cookie Exchange
Today we have two recipes from Fiona Haynes, our Guide to Low-Fat Cooking. If you want to indulge this season without the guilt, she suggests low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies. By using half the normal amount of butter, and substituting an egg white for a whole egg, these make a wonderful and relatively guilt-free indulgence. The chocolate flavor is enhanced by using cocoa powder as well as a sprinkling of miniature chocolate chips. If you want something lighter, then these fat free Chocolate Peppermint Meringue Cookies will surely fit the bill. Crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, they make a tasty sweet and minty morsel.
Rum Balls are a holiday classic. These simple and delicious little candies and are made with wafer crumbs, chocolate, and a generous helping of rum (or bourbon). They are traditionally "aged" for a period of time up to several weeks, to make the flavors meld and the texture smooth out. If you're planning on serving or gifting Rum Balls this Christmas, this week is the perfect time to get started in the process.
Rum Balls Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
About.com Cookie Exchange
Today's recipe comes from Stephanie Gallagher, our Guide to Cooking for Kids. She suggests sugar cookies, a classic Christmas treat. Soft, tender and buttery, but not too sweet, these sugar cookies are perfect for decorating.
Not quite a candy, not quite a cookie, meringues fall into that gray area of desserts that refuse easy categorization. To avoid confusion, I just file them under "Delicious" and leave it at that. These Hazelnut-Orange Meringues feature a subtle orange flavor and nutty toasted hazelnuts in a light, crispy meringue shell. Dipping the meringues in chocolate is an optional step, but I highly recommend it--the chocolate really complements the orange and hazelnut flavors. These elegant fingers make a nice teatime or after-dinner treat.
Hazelnut-Orange Meringues Photo ©2008 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
About.com Cookie Exchange
Today's cookies are from Jessica Harlan, our Guide to Cooking Equipment. She recommends spritz cookies, which are delicate and rich, thanks to the addition of cream cheese in the dough. Use a cookie press to turn the dough into beautiful shapes that can be decorated with sugars and sprinkles.
Meringue Mushrooms are the classic accompaniment to the traditional buche de noel, or Christmas yule log cake. These delicate meringue mushrooms can look so realistic sitting on the log-shaped cake, people sometimes don't realize that they are an edible candy! Meringue mushrooms can last for several weeks when stored in a cool, dry environment, so if you are thinking of making a yule log this December, why not save yourself some time and make your mushrooms in advance?
And if you have never made meringue before, fear not! I have created a step-by-step photo guide showing how to make meringue mushrooms from beginning to end. No more excuses--go have fun with fungus!
About.com Cookie Exchange
Carroll Pellegrinelli, our Guide to Baking, suggests these
Butter
Spritz Cookies. These small, delicate cookies are made with a cookie press. Cookie presses typically come with several disks to make various shaped cookies like Christmas trees, hearts, flowers and so on.
Meringue Mushrooms Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Candy canes are starting to hit store shelves, but it's a bit too early in the season (or a bit too close to the excesses of Thanksgiving) to start mainlining sugar right and left. If you still want to get your pepperminty fix, try using the candy canes in this recipe for Peppermint Meringues. Meringues are basically egg whites and a little sugar, which makes them a great low-calorie, fat-free snack. Candy cane pieces (or any hard mint candy) are the not-so-secret ingredient in these refreshingly minty treats, and they're a great solution the next time you get the urge to binge on holiday sweets.
Announcing the About.com Holiday Cookie Exchange!
Every year around holiday time, the About.com food guides get together and exchange our favorite holiday cookie recipes. For the next several weeks we'll be including these recipe links in our blog posts, to spread the holiday cheer and introduce our readers to some new recipes.
First up is Barbara Rolek, our Guide to Eastern European food, who has two delicious and unusual cookies to share.
Kolaczki exist in most Eastern European cuisines and are spelled variously as kolaci, kolache, kolacky, kolachky, among others. Fillings run the gamut of apricot to raspberry to prune to cheese, and some truly untraditional flavors like pineapple are sneaking into the mix. This recipe starts with a flaky cream cheese dough.
Czech Bar Cookies or cukrovi are a delightful blend of nuts, almond paste and strawberry filling. Best of all, they're easy to make and keep well.
Peppermint Meringues Photo ©2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Cranberry Truffles combine dark chocolate with cranberry sauce and orange zest to produce delightfully fruity truffles with just a hint of tang. I like to top these with chopped toasted pecans, but you could also use dried cranberries, candied orange peel, or leave them plain. I love this recipe because the filling stays fairly soft, so if you serve them at room temperature, they literally melt in your mouth upon first bite.
Cranberry Truffles Photo ©2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.