The holidays are times for sweet treets.
Shortbread chocolate cookie
1 C plus 2 tbsp. (2-1/4 sticks) salted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
1/2 C/101 grams granulated sugar
1/4 C/55 grams light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-1/2 C all-purpose flour
6 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
1 large egg, beaten
sugar in the raw, for rolling
flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer and a medium bowl or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, both sugars, and vanilla on medium-high until it’s super light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape down sides of bowl and, with mixer on low, slowly add flour, followed by chocolate chunks, and beat just to blend.
Divide dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over so that it covers dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands, form dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. You can also do this using parchment paper. Each half should form two logs 2 to 2¼ inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush outside of logs with beaten egg and roll them in sugar. Slice each log into ½-inch-thick rounds. Place them on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much), and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.
Reindeer crack
3 C salted pretzels
2 C Bugles
2 C Fritos
1 C Chex mix
1 C roasted peanuts
1-1/2 C M&Ms
1 pack of white chocolate bark or melting chocolate
In a large bowl, pour pretzels, Fritos, Bugles, Chex Mix, peanuts and M&M’s. Place melting chocolate or bark in a bowl and microwave for 90 seconds. Stir and, if needed, heat an additional 15 seconds until it’s smooth and creamy. Watch it closely. Keep stopping to stir – it burns easily. You can also use a double boiler. It’s easier and you always get perfect melted chocolate.
Drizzle melted chocolate over mixture in bowl and mix around to coat it all. Once fully coated, pour coated mixture onto cookie sheet and spread it out and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Monster cookies
1 16.5 oz. roll refrigerated peanut butter cookies
3/4 C M&M’s milk chocolate candies
1/2 C old-fashioned oats
3/4 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 C chopped cocktail peanuts
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray. In large bowl, break cookie dough into small chunks. Stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed.
Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack to cool completely.
She said, “At night, three out of the four voices in my head want to sleep. The other one wants to know if penguins have knees.”
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(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)