The end of the semester is drawing near, which means the holidays are right around the corner. You’ve worked hard and deserve a break – to relax by yourself or to spend some time with your loved ones. Whether you’re looking for something to bring to a holiday gathering or simply enjoy while you relax, I’ve got some tasty recipes for you to try!
Chocolate Dipped Orange Cookies
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup softened butter
2. ½ cup icing sugar
3. 1½ cup all-purpose flour
4. ¼ cup cornstarch
5. Few drops vanilla extract
6. Grated zest of 1 orange
7. 6 oz (175 g) semisweet chocolate
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together.
3. Add flour, cornstarch, vanilla and orange zest to the butter mixture and mix well.
4. Put the mixture in a piping bag and pipe it onto the cookie sheet in short lines (if you don’t have a piping bag, just use a spoon and shape them in a long oval shape on your baking sheet.) Bake for 15 minutes until cookies are a pale golden colour.
5. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, break up chocolate into a small bowl and melt it over a pot of simmering water.
6. Dip one end of each cookie into the melted chocolate and lay it on the wire rack until the chocolate has set.
M&M Cookies
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup shortening
2. 1 cup brown sugar
3. ½ cup white sugar
4. 1 tsp vanilla
5. 2 eggs
6. 2 ¼ cups flour
7. 1 tsp baking soda
8. 1 tsp salt
9. 1 ½ cups M&Ms
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, blend shortening, white sugar and brown sugar with a mixer until fully combined.
2. Beat in vanilla and eggs.
3. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until combined.
4. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet and press 3-4 M&Ms on top of each cookie.
5. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups peanut butter
2. ¼ cup butter
3. 4 ½ cups icing sugar
4. 3 cups Rice Krispies
5. 4 cups chocolate chips
6. 1 tbsp butter (optional)
Directions:
1. Melt peanut butter and butter together.
2. In a large bowl, combine the icing sugar and Rice Krispies, and pour the peanut butter and butter mixture over it.
3. Knead it together with your hands and form ½” balls and place on a plate or baking sheet. Put them in the fridge to chill until firm.
4. Once firm, melt chocolate chips with some butter and dip the balls into the chocolate to coat them.
5. Place them back in the fridge to set up. After this they are ready to be enjoyed!
Ingredients:
1. 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2. ¾ cup powdered sugar
3. 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4. ½ teaspoon salt
5. 3 cups all-purpose flour
6. 2 cups (12-ounce package) mini chocolate chips
7. Powdered sugar
8. ½ cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a large mixer bowl until creamy.
3. Gradually beat in flour and stir in the mini chocolate chips and nuts.
4. Shape level tablespoons of dough into 1¼-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set and lightly browned.
6. Remove from the oven and sift powdered sugar over the hot cookies on the baking sheet.
7. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes and remove to wire racks to cool completely.
8. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, if desired. Store in airtight containers.
Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients:
1. 4 string cheese mozzarella sticks
2. 4 Colby-Monterey Jack cheese sticks
3. 16 oz can large biscuits (Ex: Pillsbury package that makes 8 biscuits)
4. 2 tablespoons butter
5. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
7. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
8. 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
9. 1 cup of pizza sauce
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut each cheese stick into 4 pieces to make 32 pieces.
3. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into fourths for a total of 32 biscuit pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
4. Push a piece of cheese into a dough ball, pinch the seams together and then roll into a ball again.
5. Place biscuit balls seam side down and next to each other to form a tree shape on the cookie sheet.
6. Melt butter in the microwave then stir in the garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Brush butter mixture over the biscuit balls.
7. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. You can turn the oven to broil and brown the tops for a minute or so if you like.
8. Sprinkle the top with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
9. Warm pizza sauce in the microwave and serve alongside Christmas tree pull apart bread.