2012 Christmas Cookies

Happy New Year!!! I hope this post finds you well in 2013, warm and cozy and stuffed silly of Christmas cookies! I sincerely have been missing those 4 days straight I spent baking cookies...

Italian Christmas cookie platter- Italian Twists, Ricotta Cookies, Almond chocolate chip biscotti, almond spritz and cuccidati.

I'm working on creating a link to a picture page of cookies, as I've done for the cake pops. Because everyone knows that just because it's not the holidays anymore, doesn't mean that sometimes you still don't need a delicious, comforting platter of all your favorite cookies!

The festivities began with some cream cheese cookies, which is a pastry type cookie filled with preserves (here I choose strawberry and pineapple preserves). The recipe came from my grandma.

My most favorite cookie, the peanut butter blossom! Always a mistake not to make a double (or triple!) batch.

Grabbed this ginger cookie recipe from my #1 muffin at my Christmas cookie swap! Smaller and less chewier than hers, I'll work on perfecting the deliciousness for next year.  ;-)

Grandma's sugar cookie recipe here. Always a crowd pleasure! The delightfulness of my airbake baking pan bakes a perfect cookie every time!

Strawberry preserve thumbprints here. Melted in my mouth shortly after getting out of the oven- the chopped up peanuts and strawberry jam are a perfect pb&j moment!

Only the beginning, the first tins of cookies to be delivered!

Grandma's Italian Twist cookies came next, decorated with a buttercream recipe from class.

Followed by more decorated sugar cookies.

My first "out of class" attempt at biscotti. I went with almond chocolate chip. Would love to make again soon!

Almond spritz cookies, made with my electric cookie press. Totally fun to make these, but a tad bit of work!

Speaking of a cookie that takes some work, the Italian cuccidati was last! Imagine fig newton-y. Not for everyone, but definitely for meee! =)

  

The cuccidati were for an order, as well as the Italian cookie platter at the top of this post. I'm already looking forward to next year and what other cookies I can add to the mix!!

So much to look forward to in 2013, so many baking intentions I have! Excited to see what my next baking year holds! Thanks so much for reading my blog, and for your baking business- it brings me so much joy in my life! 

@--,-- 

Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

If I could bake a batch of cookies every single day, for the rest of my life, for the sole reason of being able to watch people's reaction as they bit into said cookies, I would be the happiest girl that baked cookies in the world. There is a simple kind of joy I can't express that comes along with knowing that something you created is being enjoyed by others.

And I would definitely start with this cookie here. 

Lemon. Poppyseed. Cookies. 

Holy smokes, people. 

I never really thought of myself as a picky eater, but the person I eat food with the most would beg to differ. (For starters, I don't like mint or onions- seriously, what's a girl's tastebuds to do?!) Anywho, I have all sorts of exceptions and rules for all things lemon. Lemon in water- no way. Lemonade- sign me up! Lemon meringue pie- not so much.

Which is why I was skeptical of my recent desire to make these lemon poppyseed cookies. I think subconsciously for the last year, I've been randomly daydreaming about these lemon poppyseed muffins I made in baking class. They seriously were the best muffins I had ever tasted in my life.

See? I'm salivating right now!

Anyways, a super simple cookie. The hardest part about making these cookies was locating poppy seeds in Wegmans, due to the very kind customer who bought out all of the poppy seeds the day before, in a quest to make poppy seed bagels. Which I'm all for, but just not when I'm on a mission for poppy seeds, you know what I'm saying?

Definitely glad I tried these out- would be a nice change up on a Christmas cookie platter, but definitely looking forward to a summer picnic to bring these little jobbers too! =)


Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Recipe adapted from Bakerita 

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1-1.5 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 large egg

Glaze

• ½-1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. Set aside. In a separate bowl, use a mixer to cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the almond extract and egg until blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated.

2. Drop balls of dough onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart (these cookies worked well using a cookie scoop). Bake for 9-11 minutes (mine were good between 11-12 minutes with an air bake baking sheet) or until cookies are set and just beginning to brown at the edges (do not let the tops brown). Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack set over wax paper to cool a bit before glazing.

3. To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.  Add lemon juice or more confectioners' sugar to your liking, and to get a good consistency to drizzle over cookies. Glaze the cookies and let the glaze set before serving.  Store in an airtight container.


Yields 18-24 cookies

Positively refreshing! Lemon lovers everywhere will enjoy! And maybe even some on the fence about lemon! *wink wink!*

Now go! Eat, drink, and be merry!

@--,--

Mommy Cookies!

Two years ago (to yesterday's date) was my first major cookie making extravaganza, making wedding cookies for a couple of muffins very near and dear to my heart! It was a very exciting time for me, as this was the first time I was really using my brand new PINK KitchenAid mixer, which, at the time, I had no idea how much would completely change my life.

As this year approached, I am happy to be able to make what I'm calling "Mommy Cookies" in this blog post (as opposed to the Lactation Cookies they are being referred to here), for my same special muffins, for the sake of their new baby girl "mini muffin" addition in the family! 

Here's the story with these cookies- they are basically packed with all sorts of nutritional goodness, along with some sweet yummy touches, that helps a breastfeeding momma with milk production. Testimonies on the internet say it really makes a difference, in addition to some first hand stories I get to hear myself! And it makes for a full, well fed baby!

The best part is, these cookies just ain't for mommies! Which is totally awesome, because they taste super yummy and are a fun alternative to a regular chocolate chip, peanut butter, or oatmeal cookie.......because it's everything rolled into one! Everyone else just doesn't reap the benefits that momma and baby get....  ;-)

If you've got a new mom in your life, whip up a batch of these cookies for her! She will be sure to be super appreciative! No time to get these in the oven? I'd be happy to package these up for you myself!

Enjoy!
@--,---

National Homemade Cookie Day!

I love made up days like these. Who claims this day as National Homemade Cookie Day? And why wasn't it me? And why October 1st? Who has all of these answers? 

I am unpacking from moving, and procrastinating in a big way. My mother supported my move to make cookies though, despite my baking stuff being all over the place. Perhaps she just wanted to reap the benefits of the end product....? We went with oatmeal, which ended up being a wise choice. 

While in line at Salsaritas last winter, a father and his little girl were in a heated discussion about her choice of cookie for dessert- oatmeal or chocolate chip. He made the final decision of oatmeal, and his reason being was- because it has oatmeal in it, it is healthier for you. Seriously, dude? Did he have any concept of how much salt he was about to consume in the tacos he was about to eat? 

That was not the reason I went with oatmeal today. But they sure were yummy! Still some blogging to catch up on, in addition to baking an apple pie I've been meaning to make. I picked apples a couple weeks ago.....if they have been in the fridge, how long do they last?

There is still time to celebrate homemade cookies today! Have some for dinner! That's what I did! ;-)

@--,--