I've finally decided to take the Christmas Cookie plunge...

C

carianna-in-wa

Well-known member
having successfully avoided it for many years. However, I think the girls are old enough now to appreciate a tradition and to actually be of HELP (not hinderance) during the process.

So I have decreed the first day of Christmas vacation as "Christmas Cookie Day."

So far the plan includes Oreo Truffles (scalded palms shall be avoided this year) and Chocolate Caramel Candy (although, frankly, this stuff should be outlawed in any state that has a sin tax) and Gale Gand's Poinsettia Cookies (just cause they look so darn festive).

But our youngest is craving something "cinnamon-y". I don't want snickerdoodles since I have also decreed that these cookies shall not be made at any other time of year but shall be reserved henceforth solely for Christmas Cookie Day.

Any great Cinnamon Christmas Cookie ideas out there? I'm open to anything! (Although something without nuts would be preferred to meet a 9-year-old taste standards... or at least "nut-optional.")

 
It's always nice to have traditions! My girls looked forward to making gingerbread houses.

I would get the graham crackers, make royal icing, and get lots of "decor" like M&Ms, sprinkles, etc. We would make simple box-type houses with 2 crackers for the roof. They could make 3 or 4 houses and by the time they were done, the first one was set enough to commence decorating. Soooo much fun and they get so creative.

Be sure and take pics!

 
My favorite Christmas cookie: Ginger Almond Wafers, Maybe too nutty for your girls, but

very cinnamon-ey. You could save it for future reference.

I don't know why the whole world hasn't lined up to make these. I've posted them a dozen times--no takers--and there are only four reviews on epi. Trust me, with 3 types of ginger, they are always a hit.

I make them half-size and get about 48 cookies to the recipe.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/1774

 
Here's Ruth's Cinnamon Shortbread - very yummy!

Here's Ruth's recipe from that cookie thread at Epi. This is nice and cinnamon-y, and it looks really cute because it's made in a pie pan, and cut into wedges.

You could make a simple icing, and turn those wedges into Christmas trees, decorated with those little candy-ball cookie deco things for ornaments....

I also saw a cookie in a magazine that was also wedge shaped. They lightly scored the whole wedge diagonally, both ways, so that it looked like a ice cream cone, then dipped the wide end of the wedge in white chocolate, and decorated with sprinkles.

If you don't have pie pans, you could probably roll it into a long thin rectangle, then cut it into wedges.

Vietnamese Cinnamon Shortbread
Posted: Nov 7, 2005 2:20 PM
in response to: Sylvia_in_Ottawa
in response to: Sylvia_in_Ottawa

This recipe was posted in the old forum but, is proving difficult to find, so I'm re-posting with changes I've made since then:

Cinnamon Shortbread

2 cups all-purpose flour
3-1/2 teaspoons ground Vietnamese cinnamon (available through Penzey’s or King Arthur)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two round 8 or 9” cake pans (I use just one pan for extra thick shortbread). In a small bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, and salt together; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on low speed, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Add the vanilla extract. Stop, do not eat this mixture, it is terribly addictive! Gradually blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pans. Bake in the center of the oven for:

if the dough was divided between 2 pans: 20-25 minutes
if the dough was in a single pan: 45-50 minutes

This dough is brown, and difficult to tell when it’s done, the edges should be golden brown and the center should barely spring back when pressed. On removing it from the oven, I take a pastry scraper and divide the shortbread into wedges. Cool completely, remove from the pan, and cut along the score lines. Stores & ships well.

Makes 12 to 24 wedges

http://boards.epicurious.com/thread.jspa?threadID=250489&tstart=0

 
How about Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti - they're not as hard and crunchy as some other biscotti

Everyone loooves this biscotti! I gave some to my girlfriend one Christmas. She asked for the recipe, and it's become one of her daughter's favorites. She musta been about 11 or 12 when she started baking these smileys/smile.gif


Forum Home Page: Archive Swap 27701-27800
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 19:06:22 GMT
From: Sandi in Hawaii

CINNAMON-SUGAR BISCOTTI
Bon Appétit December 1997

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Sprinkling:
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add 1 egg; beat well. Add egg yolk; beat well. Mix in vanilla, then dry ingredients.

Transfer dough to work surface. Divide in half. Shape each half into 9-inch-long, 1 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer logs to baking sheets. Beat remaining egg in small bowl. Brush logs with egg. Bake until golden and firm to touch (dough will spread), about 50 minutes. Cool on baking sheets. Maintain oven temperature.

Mix 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl to blend. Using serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch-wide diagonal slices.

Place biscotti, cut side down, on baking sheets. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon sugar over each biscotti. Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on racks. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container.)

Makes about 40.

 
These aren't cookies, but the cranberries make it seem Christmas-y: Sugared Cranberry Trail Mix

I've linked Debbie/NJ's post with the original measurements, but I always make a big batch, so here are my measurements:

SUGARED CRANBERRY TRAIL MIX
1 4 lb. bag of pretzels
4 cups of almonds (1/2 of a 2 lb. bag)
4 cups of pecans (1/2 of a 2 lb. bag)
4 cups (1/2 of a 30 oz. bag) dried cranberries
8 large egg whites (about 1 cup)
4 cups white sugar
6 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350º. Spread pecans and almonds evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until nuts are slightly darker in color. Cool completely on pan.

Reduce oven temperature to 225º.

In two large foil pans, combine the pecans, almonds, pretzels, and cranberries.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Pour over pretzel mixture; toss until well coated. In another small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over pretzel mixture; toss until well coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Store in an airtight container.

http://boards.epicurious.com/thread.jspa?messageID=420382

 
Oops, forgot the nut thing! Maybe she'll eat the pretzels, and everyone else can eat the nuts!

Isn't that always the way with these mixes anyway? When we get a batch of Chex Mix, I always leave behind the pretzels, which my hubby will happily eat!

 
I plan to mke this, Sandi.....

But don't want to use as many pretzels. Was thinking of adding something like Teddy Graham's or ???? Any ideas?

Thanks

 
Hmmm, I like the pretzels the best. Maybe something more satly than sweet...

The pretzels add the salty component, the cranberries add the sweet/tart, and the nuts add the richness. If you sub out the prezels, you'd have to add more salty.

I wonder if popcorn would work...?

 
This looks perfect for us!

The shortbread sounds good, and for me the Ginger Almond Wafers sound AWESOME! (Putting those on my dessert tray list.) But youngest daughter does love cinnamon sugar and the biscotti are just the ticket I think.

She's a crazy kid. She doesn't like cake, pie, or cupcakes at all. She'll eat cookies only very rarely. Frankly, all she likes is straight chocolate. (Nothing in her chocolate, thankyouverymuch.)

Thanks to all of you. I hope this year marks the beginning of a great tradition for us!

Carianna

 
I like pretzels, too. But my family will pick around them

so I am thinking half and half or half and 1/4th's of 2 items. Popcorn might be okay. I think I'll make a run to a big store I know that has tons of different items.

Thanks for your input!

 
Sounds good but might be too sweet with all the cinnamon sugar....

Will let you know it turns out if I use it. Might try a small batch, first.

Thanks, hon!

 
Gayle, you could try a test run using Debbie's original version of the recipe

It's a lot smaller, so you could do a test run with these proportions, to see how you like it smileys/smile.gif

SUGARED CRANBERRY TRAIL MIX
1 Cup Whole almonds
2 Cups small pretzels
1 Cup dried cranberries (available in gourmet food stores)
1 Egg white
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 Tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

PROCEDURE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds evenly on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until nuts are slightly darker in color. Cool completely on pan. Reduce oven temperature to 225 degrees.

In a large bowl combine almonds, pretzels, and cranberries. In a small bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Pour over pretzel mixture; toss until well coated.

In another small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over pretzel mixture; toss until well coated. Spread evenly on a greased baking sheet.

Bake 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Store in an airtight container. Yield: About 5 cups trail mix

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top