Holiday Cookie Competition December 2012 Winning Cookie Recipes

Holiday Cookie Competition December 2012 Winning Cookie Recipes

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Pecan Bars (First Place in Undecorated Category) From the Kitchen of: Ken Swiatek of Buffalo, NY Ingredients: 2 cups Roasted Pecan Pieces or Halves Crust: 1 ¾ Cups all Purpose Flour ¼ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (like Hershey s) 2/3 Cup Powdered Sugar ¾ Cup Cold Butter or vegetable shortening 1 ½ Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 375 degrees, roast pecans on baking sheet for about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, leaving excess hanging over on the ends for handles; butter the foil and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. For the crust whisk together the flour, cocoa and powdered sugar; cut in the cold butter or shortening until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Press into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and slightly up the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, remove and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bar Filling Ingredients: ¾ Cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 heaping tablespoon all purpose flour 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup light corn syrup ½ teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoon bourbon, optional 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature Continued on next page

Directions for bar: Keep oven at 350 degrees for the filling, whisk together the brown sugar and flour using a wooden spoon, gently stir in eggs, corn syrup, vanilla, bourbon and butter. Stir in the roasted pecans. Pour into the cooled crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes until set. Let cool completely for 1 hour. Place in the fridge for another hour. Remove from the fridge and lift out of the pan by foil. Bring to room temperature until pliable enough to cut into bars. A large sharp knife repeatedly dipped into a glass of hot water facilitates the cutting.

Heavenly Angel Cookies (First Place in Decorated Category) From the Kitchen of: Becky Krurnowski of Tonawanda, NY Yield: 30 Cookies Ingredients: ¾ Cup Butter 1 Package (3 Oz.) Cream Cheese 1 ¾ Cup Confectionary Sugar 1 Egg ½ Teaspoon Vanilla ½ Teaspoon Almond Extract 2 Cups Flour ¾ Teaspoon Baking Powder Cream butter, cream cheese, and confectionary sugar. Beat in the egg and extracts and add dry ingredients. Chill 2 hours. Roll our 3/8. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Icing: 3 Cups confectionary Sugar 2 Teaspoon Corn Syrup 2 ½ Tablespoon Water ½ Teaspoon Vanilla ½ Teaspoon Almond Blend the above ingredients together well.

Kringle Crescents 2 nd (Second Place in Undecorated Category) From the Kitchen of: Melissa Cumming of Hamburg, NY Ingredients for Cookie Dough: ½ Cup Softened Butter ¾ Cup Sugar 1 Egg, unbeaten 2-2 ½ Cups sifted flour 1 ½ Teaspoon double-acting baking powder ¼ Teaspoon salt Directions for Cookie Dough: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. In large bowl, using spoon or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until creamy. Add egg, continue beating until fluffy. Add flour mixture gradually, mixing until well blended. If necessary, gradually mix in additional flour until mixture is rolling consistency but not dry. Ingredients for Filling: ¼ Cup Raspberry Jam or Preserves ¼ Cup Soft or whipped Cream Cheese Directions for Filling: Blend jam and cream cheese with teaspoon, creaming and stirring until smooth and spreadable; set aside. Topping: 1 Cup White Chocolate Melting Wafers (Measure before melting) Green Sugar Crystals Continued on next page

Fill & Shape: Divide the dough into 6-7 equal portions. On floured board, with sheet of wax paper covering the dough, roll one section of the dough into thin 6 circle. Trim edges if necessary, to shape. Cut circle into four quarters. With knife, carefully spread thin layer of filling on each section, not quite to the edges. One quarter at a time. Carefully roll dough from wide end to point. Transfer to (greased or non-stick) baking sheet, with point of dough on top. (Some filling should be visible on left and right.) Gently bend both ends downwards into crescent (half-moon) shape. Repeat for each quarter, and for each remaining section of dough. Bake in slow (300-350 degrees) oven 5-7 minutes, checking frequently to prevent over baking. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool, at least 30 minutes. Finishing: Melt Chocolate wafers in microwave approximately 1 ½ minutes on high power. Check periodically as microwave ovens vary (stovetop method: Melt wafers in metal bowl set over boiling water.) Using knife, frost center section only with thin layer of melted chocolate (leaving filling visible on ends). Sprinkle frosted section lightly with sugar crystals. Store in airtight container to keep cookies soft.

Cream Cheese Cut Out Cookies 2 nd (Second Place in Decorated Category) From the Kitchen of: Dawn Fleming of Orchard Park, NY Ingredients: 3 Oz. Cream Cheese ½ Cup Butter 1 Cup Sugar 1 egg 1 Teaspoon Vanilla 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda 2 ½ Cups Flour Cream the cream cheese and butter, add sugar, egg. Blend in teaspoon vanilla and baking soda. Add Flour and let chill for 1 hour or overnight. Roll and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Frosting Ingredients: 4 Cups Powder Sugar 3 Tablespoon Meringue Powder 6 Tablespoon Water Mix for 10-15 Minutes or until it peaks form.

Raspberry Almond Meringue Bars (Third Place in Undecorated Category) 3 rd From the Kitchen of: Laura Wiltse-Tibbetts of Hamburg, NY Crust Ingredients: 1 Cup Butter, Soft 1 Egg ½ Cup Packed Brown Sugar 7 Oz. Almond Paste ½ Teaspoon Almond Extract 2 Cups Flour Filling Ingredients: ¾ Cup Seedless Raspberry Currant Jelly Meringue Ingredients: 3 Eggs ½ Cup Sugar ½ Cup Coconut Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with greased aluminum foil. Make crust: mix together butter, almond paste, brown sugar until smooth. Beat in one egg at a time. Mix in flour and stir well until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Cool Slightly. Spread jelly over warm crust. Meringue: In large bowl beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in ½ cup sugar until peaks become stiff. Spread over jam and sprinkle with coconut. Bake 15-20 minutes. Let cool. Remove from pan by lifting foil, cut into small bars with a sharp knife.

Shortbread Cutouts 3 rd (Third Place in Decorated Category) From the Kitchen of: Annemarie Johnson of Cheektowaga, NY Yield: 2 dozen Cookie Ingredients: 1 Cup Butter (no substitutes) Softened ½ Cup Sugar 2 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour Directions for Cookie: In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar; gradually add flour. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to ¼ inch thickness. Cut with 2 inch to 3 inch cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Cookies can either be sprinkled with colored sugar before baking or frosted after baking with the frosting recipe that follows. Frosting Ingredients: 1 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted 2 Tablespoons Butter 2 Tablespoons Milk 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Directions for Frosting: Melt Butter. Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Food coloring/paste may be added for extra creativity.