D on’t stop making Christmas lists until you’re certain you’ve got a sweet treat for the holly old elf, Santa himself. In keeping with holiday tradition, here are some traditional suggestions of differing degrees of difficulty.

 

First Prize Tea Cakes

From Land of Cotton

 

1 cup sugar

1 cup margarine

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

4/12 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup powdered sugar, optional

 

Cream sugar, margaine, oil and eggs together. Add all other ingredients except powdered sugar and mix well. Drop dough by teaspoon onto cookie sheet annd bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes

Note: These cookies are great rolled in powdered sugar while still warm

 

12 in One

From Joy of Cooking, All About Cookies

Makes about seven dozen cookies.

From one easy cookie dough, you can make 14 kinds of cookies. It is recommended that you put the sugar through a food processor to give these cookies a lightness and fineness of texture.

 

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar, processed in a food processor for 30 seconds, or superfine sugar

½ tsp salt

1 large egg yolk

1 large egg

2 teaspoons of vanilla

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

 

All ingredients should be at room temperature. In a large bowl, beat on medium speed until very fluffy and well blended the first three ingredients. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour just until combined.

Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least one hour. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to two days or it can be double-wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month.)

To bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough in small balls and flatten with the bottom of a smooth, flour or sugar-coated glass. Bake until cookies are evenly gold brown, six to eight minutes; rotate the sheets halfway through baking for even browning. Transfer immediately to racks to cool to room temperature.

 

Variations:

Ginger cookies: Add 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the flour and stir six tablespopns finely minced candied ginger into the finished dough.

 

Butterscotch cookies: Substitute 1 cup packed light brown sugar for the sugar

 

Coconut cookies: Toast one cup coconut in a 325 degree oven. Stir into the finished dough.

 

Lemon Butter Cookies: Add two teaspoons finely grated lemon zest to the butter mixture.

 

Cornmeal Citrus Cookies: Add one teaspoon finely grated lemon or orange zest to the butter mixture and substitute one cup fine cornmeal for one cup of the flour.

 

Chocolate-Cinnamon Cookies: Add one ounce melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate to the butter mixture. Substitute ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa for ¼ cup of the flour. And add ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the flour mixture.

 

Marble cookies: Stir two ounces melted and cooled semisweet or bittersweet chocolate into one-quarter of the dough. Divide the chocolate dough into six portions. Press into the remaining plain dough. Knead the doughs together to create a marbled effect.

 

Orange Butter Cookies: Add one teaspoon finely grated orange zest to the butter mixture.

 

Orange-Nut Cookies: Add one teaspoon finely grated orange zest and one cup finely ground walnuts, pecans or skinned hazelnuts to the butter mixture.

 

Spice cookies: Substitute one cup packed light brown sugar for the sugar, and add ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves to the flour.

 

Peanut butter cookies: Cream 2/3 cup peanut butter with the butter mixture

 

 

Potato Chip Cookies

From Food for Thought

 

2 sticks butter, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ cup flour

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup to 1 cup crushed potato chips

1 cup chopped pecans

 

Cream butter and sugar until well blended. Gradually add flour. Stir in vanilla, potato chips and pecans. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Cookies may be frozen.

 

For festive-looking Christmas cookies without the time-consuming process of decorating cookies, buy Christmas M&Ms for these.

 

M&M cookies

From mms.com

 

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 12-ounce package M&M’S® candies

3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter/sugar mixture. Stir in M&M’S® and nuts, if desired. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls two inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool one minute on cookie sheets; cool completely on wire racks. Store in tightly covered container.

 

 

Here’s a breakfast that even the pickiest eaters will love

 

Your Christmas morning will be easier if you put this together tonight.

 

Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole

From Land of Cotton

 

1 pound sausage

6 eggs

2 cups milk or half and half

½ teaspoon salt

4 slices bread, crust removed and cubed

1 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

 

Brown and drain sausage, set aside. Beat eggs; add milk and salt. Into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish layer bread, sausage, and cheese. Pour egg mixture over bread. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.