These are three holiday treats that are easy to make, fun for the kids to help with, and taste extra yummy! Try one or all of them this year!
1. Whipped Shortbread
This is my moms recipe, and I haven’t found a shortbread cookie that I like better! The dough is easy to make and it can be pressed (as I have done), or rolled into a log and then sliced. The kids can help by adding sprinkles, coloured sugar, or other toppings before baking.
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3 c all purpose flour 1/2 c cornstarch 1 c icing sugar 1 lb butter or part margarine |
Cream butter and add sugar, mixing until creamy. Add flour and cornstarch and whip together until fluffy. Drop from a spoon, roll, or use a cookie press. Bake at 325 for about 8 minutes. Tip: this recipe make ALOT of cookies if you’re using a press! You can half the recipe and still have lots of cookies to take to special events.
2. Gingersnaps
This is another holiday favourite, and I decided to give a new recipe a try this year. These ones are good, but I will follow up with my mom’s recipe, as I’ve decided that hers can’t be beat. We had a small taste off between these and some my sister made, and I gave these ones the nod. My mom’s recipe for the *best* ones will have to wait, as she’s visiting us for the holidays while her recipe remains at her home. The kids can help by rolling the dough into balls, and then pressing the cookies down with a fork to bake.
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2 c flour 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp each cinnamon & ginger 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp salt 1 egg 3/4 c vegetable oil 1/4 c molasses 1 c packed brown sugar granulated sugar |
Mix dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk egg. Beat in oil and molasses. Beat in brown sugar. Gradually stir flour mixture into wet ingredients. Roll dough into balls. Dip top of each ball into granulated sugar and place on greased baking tray. Press down with a fork. Bake at 350 for approximately 8 minutes.
3. Mini Butter Tarts
This recipe has been modified from the regular butter tart to become mini tarts – use a mini muffin tin to make these. Kids can help by cutting out the dough with the rim of a cup or circle cookie cutter. We used a 1/3 c measuring cup as our cutter. Once the circles are pressed into the tin, the kids can help again by placing the raisins or pecans into each tin
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Pastry: 1 1/2 c all purpose flour 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 c butter, cubed 1 egg yolk 1 tsp vinegar waterFilling: 1/2 c packed brown sugar 1/2 c corn syrup 1 egg 2 tbsp softened butter 1 tsp each vanilla & vinegar pinch salt pecans (or raisins or other) |
For pastry: combine flour and salt, and cut butter into mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. In liquid measure, whisk egg yolk with vinegar and add enough water to make 1/3 cup. Slowly pour egg mixture on top of flour mixture and stir with fork to combine. Press into disk, wrap, and refrigerate for an hour. To make tart shells: roll dough out to 1/8″ and cut circles to press gently into mini muffin tin. Reroll scraps and continue making shells. For each shell, break up a pecan with your fingers and place it in the shell. For filling: whisk all ingredients together. Spoon over pecans so tarts are 3/4 full. Bake at 450 for about 8 minutes or until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden. Remove from oven and remove tarts from pan. Cool on rack. Makes approx 30 mini tarts.