Holiday cookies you CAN?T leave off your list

Okay folks, we?re comin down the wire here! Only 10 days until Christmas and I haven?t even baked my normal Christmas cookies yet!!  However, it will all start tomorrow along with pots and pots of strong coffee to keep me alert thru the next 10 long, long days and nights trying to make sure my children have a very memorable Christmas this year! And, of course to make sure we all have enough yummy cookies to eat.  I keep my list to only these four recipes as they each offer their own distinct and delicious flavors.  The most moist and simple butter cut-out I?ve ever made; classic thumbprints where you can choose your own favorite jam filling; a very simple yet decadent toffee; and my personal favorite, the Russian tea cake?the lightest, most delicate and sinfully sweet cookie I have ever tasted!  For now I will simply post the recipes, as I start this endeavour tomorrow I will add the pictures as I go.  Just wanted to give you all a chance to try these recipe gems out!

 Butter Cut-Outs

350 degree oven

10-12 minutes

 yeilds- A LOT of cookies, I?ve had this recipe for years copied down from my grandmother and I never wrote down the amount

 1 cup unsalted butter

4 egg yolks

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 cups flour

1 tsp salt

 Cream butter and sugar, one by one add egg yolks, then vanilla and sour cream. Add flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder together in separate bowl. Slowly add flour mixture until a dough is formed.  wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Roll out onto lightly floured surface until 1/8 thick.  Cut out and bake, decorate with your favorite royal icing and decorations

 Chocolate-Almond Saltine Toffee

 makes 2 1/2 lbs

 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (6ozs)

approx 60 saltine crackers (enough to line a cookie sheet)

1 1/2 cups of sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter

2 tbsp light corn syrup

1 bag semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

 Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and completely cover with saltine crackers in single layer. In a saucepan combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Raise heat to med-high and cook undisturbed until the sugar mixture starts to turn golden, around five minutes.  Keeping the heat pretty high, insert candy thermometer and stir occasionally with wooden spoon.  Leave cooking until a deep caramel color forms and until it reaches 300 degrees.  Pour hot toffee over saltines, using a rubber spatula to spread.  Let sit for two minutes, then sprinkle bag of chocolate chips on top.  Wait another few minutes, then with the rubber spatula spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee.  Dust with almonds and place in freezer to harden.

 Russian Tea Cakes

 400 degree oven

ungreased cookie sheet

10-12 minutes

 1 cup unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

 Cream butter and powdered sugar.  Add vanilla, slowly add in flour/salt mixture, then nuts.  Wrap dough in parchment or plastic wrap and chill in fridge overnight.  Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in confectioners sugar.  Bake, then after they’ve cooled for a few minutes roll again in confectioners sugar.

 Jam Thumbprints

 350 degree oven

13-15 minutes

makes 20 cookies so double or triple this recipe if need be

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg separated

1 cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

3/4 cup of your favorite finely chopped nuts

1/2 cup favorite jam

 Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolk.  Slowly add flour/salt mixture. If needed, chill dough for an hour or so.  Roll into 1 inch balls and dip in egg white then roll into nuts.  Place on cookie sheet an inch apart.  Using thumb make an imprint in middle of ball.  Add desired jam then bake, cool and enjoy!