Christmas Cookies - the recipes

Peanut Butter Bars

As promised, here are the recipes for the rest of the holiday treats I made this year.  They all went over very well, but the Mexican Wedding Cookies (Polvorones) seemed the biggest hit!

Bourbon Balls

 

 

Hazelnut Shortbread Sticks

  

Polvorones: Ground Walnut Cookies (Recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground walnuts
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for serving

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in the flour, and then the ground and chopped walnuts. Divide the dough in half, forming each half into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Working with half of the chilled dough at a time while keeping the rest in the fridge, roll the dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between your palms into balls. Arrange the balls on a large baking sheet, spacing them 1/2-inch apart.


Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Toss the warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Transfer the sugar-coated cookies to a rack to cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature). Sift additional powdered sugar over the cookies, if desired, before serving.

Hazelnut Shortbread Sticks (Recipe from Bon Appetite)

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup finely ground husked toasted hazelnuts (about 2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped 
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped husked toasted hazelnuts 

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in 1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture until just combined.

 

Shape dough by tablespoonfuls into 3-inch-long logs. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until light golden brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool cookies completely.

Stir milk chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Place 1/3 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts in small bowl. Dip 1 end of cookie into melted chocolate, then into coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Return to rack. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

 

Yum-Rum Balls (Recipe by Southern Living)


1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Cook sweetened condensed milk and chocolate morsels in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until chocolate morsels melt.

Remove from heat, and stir in rum. Pour into a lightly greased 8-inch square pan. Cover and chill 3 hours or until firm.

Shape mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in chocolate cookie crumbs and then in powdered sugar. Place balls in miniature paper baking cups, if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.


Cinnamon-Chocolate Fudge (Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis)

• Butter, for greasing the pan
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pound (about 2 cups) bittersweet (60 percent cacao) chocolate chips (recommended: Ghiradelli) see Cook's Note
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
• Kosher or flake salt, optional

Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 by 8-inch baking pan. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper, about 14-inches long and 7-inches wide, allowing the excess to overhang the sides. Set aside

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the condensed milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips and butter. Put the bowl on a saucepan of barely simmering water and mix until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes (mixture will be thick). Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.

Run a warm knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the fudge. Remove the fudge to a cutting board. Peel off the parchment paper and cut the fudge into 1-inch pieces. Store refrigerated in an airtight container or freeze.

Cook's Note: The fudge can also be made using 1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) of semisweet chocolate chips.