Learning With My Boys

We made cookie boxes for our teachers and coworkers this year.

Chewy Sugar Cookies 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup Butter
• 1 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 2 1/4 Cup Flour
• 1/2 tea baking powder
• 12 tea salt
• 1 tea Vanilla
• Colored Sugar for Rolling

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sugar Cookie Swirls 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup Butter
• 1 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 2 1/4 Cup Flour
• 1/2 tea baking powder
• 12 tea salt
• 1 tea Vanilla
• Red and Green Food Coloring
• Christmas Sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream together butter and sugar.
3. Add egg and mix well.
4. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla.
5. Divide into 3 portions and dye 1 portion red and another portion green.
6. Chill for 1 hour.
7. Roll out the 3 doughs and stack them on plastic wrap.
8. Roll them up into a cylinder and chill for 1 hour more.
9. Take off the plastic wrap and slice into 1/2 inch slices. Roll slices in the sprinkles.
10. Place cookies on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Almond Joy Cookies

 Servings 3 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 14 oz bag sweetened coconut flakes
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup chopped lightly salted almonds
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine coconut, chocolate chips, almonds, and sweetened condensed milk.
4. Stir until combined.
5. Scoop out dough with a cookie scoop onto prepared baking sheet.
6. Moisten the tips of your fingers with water and shape into discs. Pat the tops flat.
7. Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until tips of coconut are just starting to turn golden brown.
8. Let cool on baking sheet.
9. Store cookies in an airtight container.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

Servings: 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup crushed candy canes
• 1 cup white chocolate chips 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl beat together the butter, shortening, white sugar & brown sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
3. Add in the vanilla extract & peppermint extract, then mix in the eggs 1 at a time.
4. Turn the mixer down to low speed and mix in the flour, baking soda & salt.
5. Mix in the crushed candy canes & white chocolate chips.
6. Form the dough into balls about 1 tablespoons and place 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops look just set.
8. Cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then continue cooling on a wire rack.

Gooey Red Velvet Cookies

Makes 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ¼ cups of flour
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsps baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 8oz of softened cream cheese
• 4 tbsps of softened butter
• 1 egg
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp red liquid food coloring

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt and put to one side for later.
2. In another larger bowl cream the butter and cream cheese together until the mixture is smooth. Then beat in the egg and the food coloring.
3. Add to this mixture the dry ingredients you set aside earlier. Mix it all together until dough is formed.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough to chill for around 2 hours.
5. Place the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Separate the dough into 1 inch balls and roll each ball into the powdered sugar. Place dough balls onto a greased baking tray.
6. Bake cookies in an oven pre heated to 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
7. Leave cookies to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled store in an airtight container. They should keep for 3 days.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

Servings 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 packages hot cocoa mix
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 Cup mini marshmallows

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with standing mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
2. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Gradually beat dry ingredients into butter mixture until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop 2 tablespoons dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
4. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes; remove to wire racks and cool.

Gingerbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups flour
• ¾ Cup melted butter
• ¾ Cup sugar
• ½ Cup Molasses
• ½ Cup water
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 TBS Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 egg

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Once dough begins to form, dust generously with flour.
3. Cover dough with plastic and chill for 4 hours.
4. Dust surface with flour and roll out dough to ¼ inch thick.
5. Use a cookie cutter and place pieces on sprayed cookie sheet.
6. Bake 350 degrees for 8 minutes

Milk Chocolate Nut Melts

INGREDIENTS:

• Milk Chocolate Chips
• Chopped Nuts
• Candy Molds

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place a cup of water in a small sauce pan, and bring to a boil.
2. Lower heat to simmer, and place a glass bowl on the sauce pan.
3. Put the chocolate in the bowl and keep stirring for several minutes until smooth.
4. Place a piping bag into a large glass and fold the bag over the edges of the glass.
5. Spoon the melted chocolates into the piping bag and twist the top of the bag.
6. Cut off the tip and squirt into the candy molds and place in the chopped nuts.
7. Refrigerate for half an hour and then pop them out.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Melts

INGREDIENTS:

• Dark Chocolate Candy Melts
• White Chocolate Candy Melts
• Crushed Candy Canes
• Candy Molds

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place a cup of water in a small sauce pan, and bring to a boil.
2. Lower heat to simmer, and place a glass bowl on the sauce pan.
3. Put the chocolate in the bowl and keep stirring for several minutes until smooth.
4. Place a piping bag into a large glass and fold the bag over the edges of the glass.
5. Spoon the melted chocolates into the piping bag and twist the top of the bag.
6. Cut off the tip and squirt into the candy molds and place in the crushed candy canes.
7. Refrigerate for half an hour and then pop them out.

Christmas Candy Melts

INGREDIENTS:

• Red and Green Candy Melts
• Tiny Christmas sprinkles
• Candy Molds

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place a cup of water in a small sauce pan, and bring to a boil.
2. Lower heat to simmer, and place a glass bowl on the sauce pan.
3. Put the candy melts in the bowl and keep stirring for several minutes until smooth.
4. Place a piping bag into a large glass and fold the bag over the edges of the glass.
5. Spoon the melted candy into the piping bag and twist the top of the bag.
6. Cut off the tip and squirt into the candy molds and sprinkle in the Christmas sprinkles.
7. Refrigerate for half an hour and then pop them out.

Peppermint Bowls

I just cut out the red portion of 1 bowl and then placed it onto the other bowls one at a time while I spray painted them red. Then I wrapped them with clear wrapping.