Prep: 35 mins | Bake: 35 mins + cooling | Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients:

3 large egg yolks

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup dried cranberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

Crust:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups quick oats

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup flaked coconut

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In top of double boiler or a metal bowl over simmering water, whisk the first five ingredients until blended, stir in cranberries. Cook and stir 15-20 mins until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, oats, salt and baking soda; gradually beat in creamed mixture. Stir in coconut. Reserve half of the dough for topping. Press remaining onto bottom of greased 13×9″ baking dish. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.
3. Spread sour cream mixture over crust; crumble reserved dough over top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until filling is set and top is golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Prep: 45 mins | Bake: 45 mins + cooling | Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup honey

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 medium apple, peeled and thinly sliced

Pastry for double crust (9″) (recipe in Notes)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, water and honey. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until berries pop, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, combine pineapple, cornstarch and cinnamon, stir in cranberry mixture and apple. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half of pastry dough to an 1/8″-thick circle, transfer to a 9″ pie plate. Trim pastry even with outside edge of pie plate. Add filling.
3. Roll remaining dough to an 1/8″-thick circle. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top.
4. Bake 45-55 mins or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cover pie lossly with foil during the last 30 mins if needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes:

To make your own pastry:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup cold butter

1/3-2/3 cup ice water

Instructions:

1. Combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Divide dough in half. Shap each into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate one hour or overnight.

Prep: 20 mins + Cooling | Bake: 40 min + cooling | Makes: 3 dozen

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, melted

Filling:

3 large eggs

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups flaked coconut, divided

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13×9″ baking pan with parchment paper, letting ends extend up and over sides.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, brown sugar and salt; stir in 1 cup melted butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 12-15 minutes or until light brown. Coool 10 minutes on a wire rack.
3. Reduce oven temp to 325°F.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the first seven filling ingredients until blended, stir in 3 cups coconut. Pour over crust, sprinkle with remaining coconut. Bake 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Lifting with parchment paper, remove from pan. Cut into bars.

Prep: 25 mins | Bake: 35 min + cooling | Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup cold butter, cubed

Filling:

5 large eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp butter, melted

1-2 tbsp grated clementine or orange peel

1/3 cup clementine or orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

Confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13×9″ baking pan with foil, letting ends extend up and over sides; grease foil.
2. Place flour, cranberries, confectioners’ sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 14-18 mins or until edges are golden brown.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, cornstarch, melted butter, peel, juice, vanilla and salt until blended. Pour over warm crust. Bake 18-22 minutes longer or until filling is set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Lifting with foil, remove from pan. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

Prep: 25 mins + chilling | Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 cup cranberry juice

1/8 tsp salt

4 large eggs, beaten

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup sweetened whipped cream

3 tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions:

1. Place cranberry juice and salt in a small heavy saucepan; bring just to a boil. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, slowly whisk hot juice into eggs; return all to pan. Cook over low heat 2-3 mins or until mixture thickens and a thermometer reads 170°F, stirring constantly.
2. Place warm egg mixture, chocolate chips and vanilla in a blender, let stand 2 minutes. COver and process until smooth. Pour into six dessert dishes. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, covering when completely cooled.
3. Place cranberries in a small food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl; toss with sugar. Top each serving with cranberries, whipped cream and almonds.

Prep: 20 mins + Chilling | Bake: 20 mins / Batch + Cooling | Makes: 4 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 cups sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp coconut extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips, and green and red M&M’s minis

Frosting

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1/8 tsp coconut extract

2-4 tsp 2% milk

Red and / or green food coloring

Miniature milk chocolate kisses

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Shape dough into 48 1″ balls, 48 3/4″ balls and 48 1/2″ balls. On un-greased baking sheet, place one ball of each size side by side for each snowman.
3. Bake 18-20 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven; cool on pans 2 minutes. Press on chocolate chips for eyes and M&M’s for buttons. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For frosting, in a small bowl, beat confectioner’s sugar, extract and enough milk to reach a piping consistency. Tint with food coloring.
5. Cut a small hole in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; fill with frosting. Pipe scarves on snowmen. use frosting to attach chocolate kisses for hats.

Prep: 30 mins | Bake: 10 mins / Batch + Cooling | Makes: about 9 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Filling:

2pkg. (8 oz.) each pitted dates

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divided dough into three portions. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hr or until dough is firm enough to roll.
2. For filling, place dates, water and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until dates are tender and liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in walnuts; cool completely.
3. Roll each portion of dough between two sheets of waxed paper into a 12×10″ rectangle. Refrigerate 30 mins. Remove waxed paper. Spread a third of the filling over each rectangle. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap and cut dough into 1.3″ slices. Place 2″ apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. remove to wire racks to cool.

Prep: 20 mins | Bake: 10 mins / Batch + Cooling | Makes: about 9 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup 2% milk

2 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 cups finely chopped walnuts

2 cups milk chocolate chips

Topping:

1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in milk. Gradually beat graham cracker crumbs into creamed mixture. Stir in walnuts and 2 cups chocolate chips.
2. Fill miniature foil muffin liners 3.4 full. Place 1″ apart in 15 x 10 x 1″ baking pans. Bake 10-12 mins or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
3. Drizzle with melted chocolate; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Prep: 15 mins | Bake: 20 mins / Batch + Cooling | Makes: about 5 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp instant coffee granules

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tsp shortening, divided

1/2 cup white chocolate baking chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars, coffee granules and salt until light and fluffy; gradually beat flour into creamed mixture.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4″ thickness. Cut with floured 2″ cutters. Place 2″ apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake for 20-22 mins or until set. Remove to wire racks to set completely.
3. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and 1 tsp shortening; stir until smooth. Repeat with the white baking chips and the remaining shortening. Drizzle over cookies; refrigerate until set. Store between pieces of wax paper in an airtight container.

Prep: 25 mins | Bake: 15 min / batch | Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp 2% milk

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed potato chips

1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup milk chocolate M&M’s

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, cream butter ad brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and milk. In another bowl, whisk oats, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in potato chips, pretzels, chocolate chips and M&M’s.
2. Drop cookie dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls 2″ apart ono un-greased baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake 14-16 mins or until the edges are golden brown. Cool on pans 2 mins. Remove to wire racks to cool.