The last of our Christmas cookies, it took me a while to get around to posting.What baking day is complete without the gingerbread men, or in the case a gingerlady and man :). These are simple to whip together and let chill while you work on everything else.

Gingerbread Men (From:My Mom)

• 6 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 T. ground ginger
• 1 T. ground nutmeg
• 1 T. ground cloves
• 1 T. ground cinnamon
• 1 C. shortening, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 C. molasses
• 1 C. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 C. water
• 1 egg
• 1 T. vanilla extract

Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, until they are completely absorbed. Divide the dough into 3 pieces, pat down to 1 1/2 in thickness, wrap in plastic wrap,refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. CXut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When the cookies are done, they will look dry, but still be soft to the touch. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks. When cool, the cookies can be frosted with the icing of your choice.

I know you have probaly seen these on every blog already this year, we make these EVER year. Personally they are my least favorite cookie but my mom really enjoys them so we make them every year.

I am also submitting this to this months tasty tools event. I think everyone uses a baking sheet in the month of Dec! This is the same recipe we use every year, but I wanted to post it along with all our baking.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (From: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book)

• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/8 t. baking soda
• 1 egg
• 2 T. milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• Herseys Kisses

Beat shortening and peanut butter with an electric mix 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 c. sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the 1/4 c. sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool

This year my mom chose to add Rosettes to our cookie baking day, at first I was a little disappointed because it’s a cookie “I don’t like” But I tried one again to be sure I don’t like it… and I love them!

These little treats are pretty simple to make once you get a hang of the rosette iron. Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and you have heaven! I am also submitting these to Joelen’s Holiday Cookie Swap Adventure.

Rosettes (From: My Mom)

• 2 eggs
• 1 T. sugar
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 c. all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 c. milk
• 1 t. vanilla

Combine eggs, sugar, and salt; beat well.Add remaining ingredients; beat until smooth. Heat rosette iron in deep, hot oil (350 to 375 F) for two minutes. Drain excess oil from iron; dip in batter to 1/4 inch from top of iron, then immediately into hot oil. Fry rosette until golden, 10 to 30 seconds. Lift out; tip upside down to drain. With fork, push rosette off iron onto rack placed over paper towels. Reheat iron 1 minute; make next rosette. If you have two rosette irons, reheat one while using the other. Stir batter from time to time as you will get some oil in it. Sprinkle rosettes with confectioner’s sugar.

I was so excited when I got this months cookie recipe in my e-mail, I have been searching for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe and I was excited to have a reason to try one!

These are AMAZING cookies, they had wonderful flavor are extra chocolatey and just overall wonderful, this will be my new standby chocolate chip cookie recipe. I also found although these are wonderful gooey and chocolate out of the oven, they are even better once cooled.

The Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies (From: In The Sweet Kitchen By: Regan Daley)

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temp
• 1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsps. pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 16 oz. flavorful bitter or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter them, and set aside.

In a bowl of an electric mixer, or stand mixer with paddle attachment, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Add the dry ingrdients to the butter-sugar mixture, and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

Using your hands, shape knobs of dough about the size of a large walnut and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Stagger the rows of cookies to ensure even baking. Bake 12-15 for small cookies, 14-17 for larger ones or until the tops are a light golden brown.  If the cookies are neither firm nor dark when they are removed from the oven, they will cool chewy and soft. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. If somehow they don’t get inhaled immediately they may stored airtight at room temperature for up to one week.

ENJOY!

Last night after dinner I was craving a chocolate chip cookie, I had just bought some chocolate chips and decided it had been too long since I had made a plain old chocolate chip cookie. I still haven’t found my ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe so I tried a new one.

I was rather disappointed in the recipe, they were VERY flat. If I was to try them again I would chill the dough before baking. They had great flavor just were too flat and crisp for me.

So I am still on the search for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe, please leave a comment with your favorite.

Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (From: Smitten Kitchen, Originally From: The Great Book of Chocolate)

•  1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) (115 grams) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt or 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (Deb option)
• 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (130 grams) walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped (I omitted)

Adjust the oven rack to the top third of the oven and preheat to 300F (150C). Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the sugars and butters together until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda.

Stir together the flour and salt, then mix them into the batter. Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon (5cm) balls and place 8 balls, spaced 4 inches (10cm) apart, on each of the baking sheets.

Bake for 18 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days