Prep: 20 mins | Bake: 15 mins + chilling | Makes: 4 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1 tbsp instant coffee granules

1 cpu finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and coffee granules; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans. Roll into 1″ balls. Place 2″ apart on un-greased baking sheets.
2. Bake at 325°F for 14-16 minutes or until firm. Cool on pans for 1-2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Roll warm cookies in confectioners’ sugar.

Prep: 1 hour + chilling | Bake: 20 mins + chilling | Makes: 8 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

3 cups all-purpose

Filling

2 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup butter, cubed

2/3 cup honey

4 cups sliced almonds

1 1/2 cups red and / or green candied cherries

3/4 cup dried currants

Garnish

1 1/4  lbs. white candy coating

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Gradually add flour and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
2. Roll dough into an un-greased 15x10x1″ baking pan. Bake at 375°F for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, in a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cream, butter and honey. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 246°F (firm ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in the almonds, cherries and currants. Spread evenly into crust.
4. Bake for 18-22 minutes or just until filling is set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Remove florentine from pan. With a sharp knife, trim edges of crust; discard the trim. Cut lengthwise into six strips; cut each strip into 16 triangles.
6. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip the short side of each triangle into candy coating; place on waxed paper. Drizzle with additional candy coating. Let stand until set. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Prep: 30 mins + chilling | Bake: 10 mins / batch + cooling | Makes: 7 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tbsp milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Frosting

1/2 cup shortening

3 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1-2 tbsp water

4 1/2 cups sliced almonds

3 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8″ thickness. Cut with a 3″ bird-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1″ apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 7-9 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.
3. For frosting, in a small bowl, combine the shortening, confectioners’ sugar, milk, extracts and enough water to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cookies. Arrange almonds over the bodies and walnuts over the heads. Add chocolate chip eyes.

Prep: 20 mins + chilling | Bake: 20 mins / batch + cooling | Makes: about 4 dozen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp 2% milk

1/2 cup sliced almond, chopped

Icing

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 tsp almond extract

1-2 tbsp 2% milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.
2. Divide dough into four portions. Roll or pat each portion into a 12×3″ rectangle. Place 5″ apart on greased baking sheets. Brush with milk; sprinkle with almonds.
3. Bake 18-20 minutes or until firm and edges are light brown. Cool on pans 5 minutes; cut diagonally into 1″ slices. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, extract and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over bars.

Prep: 25 mins + chilling | Bake: 10 mins / batch + cooling | Makes: about 2 dozen

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup colored sugar or nonpareils

Icing

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon peel. In another bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch; gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until dough is firm enough to handle.
2. Shape

Prep: 30 mins + chilling | Bake: 10 mins / batch + cooling | Makes: about 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

Frosting

2 tbsp butter, softened

2 tbsp 2% milk

1/4 tsp peppermint extract

2-3 drops red food coloring, optional

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in peppermint extract. In another bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch; gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes or until dough is firm enough to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1″ balls; place 2″ apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Remove form pans to wire racks to cool.
3. In a bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in milk, peppermint extract and food coloring, if using. Beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container.

Prep: 20 mins | Bake: 8 mins / Batch + cooling | Makes: about 7

1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Colored sugar and sprinkles, optional

Melted chocolate candy coating, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture.
2. Using a cookie press fitted with a disk of your choice, press dough 2″ apart onto un-greased baking sheets. If desired, decorate unbaked cookies with colored sugar and sprinkles.
3. Bake 6-8 minutes or until set (do not brown). Remove to wire racks to cool completely. If desired, dip baked cookies in melted candy coating and decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until set.

Prep: 25 mins + chilling | Bake: 10 mins / Batch + cooling | Makes: about 5 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

2 cups butter, softened

1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

2 cups sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 /2 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting

3 tbsp butter, softened

1 tbsp shortening

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

4-5 tbsp 2% milk

Food coloring, optional

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm enough to roll.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4″ thickness. Cut with floured 3″ cookie cutters. Place 1″ apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set (do not brown). Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
3. For frosting, in a bowl, beat the butter, shortening and vanilla until blended. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and enough milk to reach spreading consistency; beat 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. If desired, beat in food coloring. Frost cookies. (Keep frosting covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.)

Prep: 30 mins + chilling | Bake: 10 mins / Batch + cooling | Makes: about 4 dozen

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

14 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 large egg whties

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Filling

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 tsp rum extract

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1-2 tsp 2% milk

1-2 drops yellow food coloring, optional

Additional ground nutmeg

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and nutmeg; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1″ balls. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Place walnuts in a separate shallow bowl. Dip dough balls in egg whites; roll in walnuts.
3. Place 2″ apart on greased baking sheets. Press a 1/2″-deep indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the center is set, Carefully remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For filling, in a small bowl, beat butter and extract until creamy, Beat in confectioners’ sugar alternately with enough milk to reach spreading consistency. If desired, beat in food coloring. Fill each cookie with 1/2 tsp filling. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

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

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp oil

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2-3/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

Confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, chocolate and vanilla until blended. Beat in egg. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to handle.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. With sugared hands, shape dough into 1″ balls; roll in confectioners’ sugar. Place 2″ apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.