Christmas time. WOO HOO!!!! OKay, so far I have made hot chocolate on a stick and 2 kinds of cookies. I made one batch of my favorite cookies, so I can have those to eat while I make everything else. Is that wrong of me? Probably not, but it may be high calorie for me, but isn't that one of the bonuses of Christmas?

What has everyone else been making? How about the way your presenting your goodies? Presentation is always my weak point. Love to see your guy's work!

I'm going to make a bag of "reindeer noses" like as seen here from A Personal Touch: http://a-personaltouch.blogspot.com/2010/12/reindeer-noses.html

I bought some Whoppers for the brown and some Sour Candy Balls for the red.

I'd love to know how you do hot chocolate on a stick! Could you share?

I'm going to be making my husband some sugar cookies and his squadron (he is Air force) a Christmas cake because most of them will be alone for the holidays. So I plan to surprise them on Friday with a cake. I'm still trying to come up with ideas for it tho.

I'll be making Prickly Pear Jam, Reindeer Poop and Christmas cake pops along with my Dipped Pringles and Ting-a-lings this year. And of course, cake for Christmas dinner.
QTCakes1 - - I looked up the Hot Chocolate on a Stick and it looks simple enough that I just might be able to squeeze that in too. Great idea. Thanks!

Yes, hot chocolate on a stick sounds interesting. Could you share?
As for me, no cookies, but a jam cake with caramel icing, stack pies, turtle brownies, and a pecan cake.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick (with homemade marshmallows)

http://www.makeandtakes.com/hot-chocolate-on-a-stick

Hey all I have been making snowflakes, butter bites, neopolitains, and cookie trees, not to mention fudge! Gosh I am tired.... am uploading now...Merry Christmas to all!

I've already done my soft gingerbread cookies and 4 kinds of truffles (mocha, hazelnut, maple walnut & peanut butter) for my out ot town gifts. This week I'm making scones (cinnamon pecan & pistachio cranberry) for a work breakfast on Friday along with a cheese pudding for our holiday lunch on the same day. I haven't planned my christmas Eve menu yet but I picked up a fabulous 3-d Nordic Ware snowman cake pan last summer at an estate sale so that'll be the shape of dessert. I figure if I can make the Wilton egg stand up. I can make that stand up I'll also make a few family favorites next week...coconut macaroons, mostaccioli, and a couple of Greek desserts.

What is mostaccioli? Another great thing about C.C. So many different people and cultures.

I will be making a chocolate salted caramel tart, champagne cake balls with a gold sprinkle, a vanilla cake with cheesecake mousse ( I think I may do a simple look like Magnolia bakery swirl), and Christmas tree sugar cookies, with the kiddies and friends, so we get a play date in when the kids do.

Done with decorated sugar cookies, will start making french macarons tomorrow, I'm thinking about chocolate mint, eggnog latte and vanilla bean for the flavors.

I am on my 5th order of the chocolate covered oreo snowmen...BIG hit in my area! I have this one lady that ordered 11 dozen cuz she is renovating her kitchen...it's been a blast making them! will be making lots more and also starting on those ornament cupcakes

Please do share the recipe Elcee.

And ornament cupcakes. That would be a great idea. i ahve a mess of green fondant I need to use up.

Here you are!

Mostaccioli

Cookies

2 cups flour 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 2/3 cup sugar
1 12 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon 1 large egg
1/2 tsp ground cloves 2/3 cup milk

Heat oven to 450. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and butter until blended. Increase speed to high and beat until light and creamy. At low speed, beat in egg until well blended. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

With hands dusted with cocoa, roll about 2 teaspoons of dough into balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 7 - 10 minutes until puffed, they should look dry and cracked. Transfer to wire racks to cool.


Chocolate glaze

3 tbs unsweetened cocoa
3 tbs + 1 tsp boiling water
1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Decorative sprinkles (optional)

With wire whisk, mix cocoa and water until it is smooth and paste-like. Gradually stir in confectioner's sugar and blend well. Dip top of each cookie into glaze and place on wire rack set over waxed paper to catch any drips. If desired, decorate with sprinkles immediately. Allow glaze to set at least 10 minutes.

A couple of FYIs...I use dutch process cocoa and have found the prettiest sprinkles on them are the Christmas colored nonpariels,at least in MHO

Thank you! I will make those tomorrow. I am done with my candy as of today. I have brown butter cookies chilling in the fridge right now. I'll be doing more cookies tomorrow and the whole weekend.

Of course!

Brown Butter Shorties
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
scant 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Cut butter into 4 or 5 pieces and cook butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it has a nutty fragrance and flecks on bottom of pan, about 4-7 mins. It helps to frequently scrape pan to have an even browning. Transfer butter to bowl and chill in fridge for about an hour, until firm.
Beat together browned butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, then mix in flour and salt at low speed until just combined.
Divide dough in half and transfer each half to wax paper and form it into a 12" log, about 1 1/2" in diameter. The dough is very soft. Chill in fridge until firm, about an 1 hr.
Take dough out of fridge and let soften slightly. Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap dough and roll in coarse sugar if desired. Slice dough into 1/4 inch thick pieces and place on ungreased cookie sheet, 1 1/2" apart. Bake until surface is firm and edges are slightly darker, 10 ro 12 mins. Let cool on cookie sheet about a minute before transderring to cooling rack. Cookies are fragile out of the oven, but firm up on cooling.

Make sure you get a nice browned butter for the proper taste and it says "scant" on the flour, cause if you do exact, they will be kind of heavy. You want to bake the right time to get a nice sandy texture.

They are so worth the work!

Thanks, QTCakes1! I can't wait to try them. I love the flavor of browned butter!

Love anything with brown butter. Thanks for the recipe. can this recipe be used with cookie cutters or does ot spread too much?

It is too soft to roll out to cut with cookie cutters. If you add more flour to make it stiff, you'll lose on the flavor and texture. You have to shape them into a tube, chill in fridge, and slice.

Just finished decorating the 6th round rich fruit christmas cake. Have four square to decorate and 5 sponge cakes to decorate but they won't get done until 23rd!

Talk about overloading myself as these are in addition to several birthday cakes!

Phewwwwww!!!!!!

CP x

It's peanut clusters made with white chocolate and I throw in a handful of little marshmallows. Looks kinda chunky.

AH!! I'm soooooo glad we got that cleared up!! That's almost like my "dog food" -- mashed potato chips, pretzels and peanuts mixed in dark chocolate. Delish!!

That really does sound good - - I'll have to try that.

Step0nmi,
Can you tell me about your chocolate covered oreo snowmen? I'd like to know more!

So where is everyone at? I have 5 mini cakes and 3 6" inchers waiting to be decorated. Tonight is the night for delivery tomorrow. I am cookied and candied out at this point!

Candy making tonight after the company Christmas party - - family cake Saturday morning and - - wait for it - - - I'M DONE!!