Which are the best cookies for X-mas gifts?

[Dina]

I'm hoping to bake up a storm this last week that the kids will let out from school for the holidays. I'd like to give the teachers some cookie gift bags using a variety of cookies. I need to know which cookies are best or traditionally made for gifts during this season. Recipes would be appreciated too. Thanks.

 

[hirokei]

i think sugar cookies, gingerbread men, ginger snaps, snickerdoodles are xmas classics. also, any of those from allrecipes' xmas countdown are great for xmas too!



http://allrecipes.com/advice/coll/christmas/feature/holiday/countdown.asp?lnkid=724

 

[marmalady]

We've had several discussions re Christmas baking and cookies - if you do a search, you'll find oodles of goodies!

 

[thumpershere2]

Pressed sugar cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup powder sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup oleo
2 eggs
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla or lemon ext.
1 tsp cream of tarter
41/2 cups flour
cream the sugars oil and oleo, beat in eggs,vanilla or lemon ext.
add flour and cream of tater, soda.Mix
Drop by tsp on cookie sheet, press with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.
bake at 350 for 12 min.
You can also add colored sugares or sprinkles before baking.

 

[urmaniac13]

I would vote for ricciarelli, it is a delicious Toscan Christmas treat based with almond!!

 

[Constance]

I used to give big trays of Christmas cookies as gifts every year.
Here are some of my faves: Date-nut pinwheels, Lemon-cheese spritz cookies, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, Viennese Crescents (like Russian Tea Cakes), homemade fudge, and candy canes. I also tried one new cookie every year. Some made the cut...and some didn't.
Nuts, candies, or dried fruits make a nice garnish. If you add a few apple slices around the edges before you cover with plastic wrap, the cookie will stay nice and moist. Just don't over-do it, or they will get too soggy.

I also made some a really good fruitcake. I know how much fun people make of it, but it can be heavenly.

 

[marmar]

In my family it's nut tassies, which could be bad because some schools don't like you taking nuts into them, but otheriwse, they're delicious. My grandmother taught me with pecans.

Martha's Golden Tassies
Makes 2 dozen.

Crust:
1/4 lb butter (1 stick)
3 oz. package cream cheese
1 cup flour, sifted
pinch of salt

Soften butter and cream cheese. Work in flour and salt as for pastry. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pinch of dough and press into tiny muffin tins against sides and bottoms.

Filling:
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
dash salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mix together all ingredients and put approximately 1 teaspoon of filling into each muffin cup.

Bake 20 minutes at 350º, then 10 minutes at 250º

 

[Bugs]

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP!

 

[Dina]

Mmmm...I've never made ginger snaps, snickerdoodles or ricciarelli cookies. I'm definitely making those this week. Thank you all for the ideas.

 

[Dina]

Whew! I finally made the time to bake those cookies. I've been in the kitchen for 5 hours baking six different types of cookies. I'm sure I won't want to see a cookie again for a while! Blah! I ended up making the eggnog snickerdoodles (SO YUMMY), ginger snaps, chocolate chip, almond, cheesecake topped brownies, and chocolate dipped brandy snaps (which didn't work quite well for me). The brandy snaps were suppose to roll around a wooden spoon handle for shaping then filled with melted chocolate but the cookie kept breaking on the spoon. I was not happy with that cookie. Anywho, I'm done and no more baking for me until next year! Tootles everyone and thanks again for your cookie suggestions.

 

[amber]

Thanks to hirokei for the link to this yummy cookie/bar that I made today.

http://cookie.allrecipes.com/az/LinzerTorteCkies.asp