Spiced Brown Sugar Cut-Out Cookies

From Annie's Eats. Annie makes such delicious food! 

When making these, I actually chilled them overnight because I got tired... and they took a really long time to come back to room temperature - like 3 hours! But they rolled and baked up just fine so that would work for you as well.

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium bowl; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the egg and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Form the dough into a ball or disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 30-60 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to form desired shapes and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Peppermint Kisses

These are so delicious! I love peppermint cookies, and I love sugar cookies. The "candy cane flour" was a little odd to try and put together - I am not a huge fan of all the time it takes to unwrap and smash those candy canes, but they tasted so good!  Enjoy:

From Sing for Your Supper
~basically just an embellished adaptation of Dorie Greenspan’s “Grandma’s All-Occasion Sugar Cookies”

Cookie Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup candy cane flour**
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:
crushed peppermints, for garnish (about 1/2 cup)
6 ounces (3 squares) white chocolate flavored almond bark or candy coating

Directions:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

2. Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder and candy cane flour together.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably one fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for a minute or so, until smooth. Beat in the sugar and continue to beat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and pale. Add the egg and yolk and beat for another minute or two; beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and steadily add the flour mixture, mixing only until it has been incorporated. When mixed, the dough will be soft, creamy, and malleable.

3. Drop the dough onto the baking sheets by rounded spoonfuls.
Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the sheets at the midpoint. The cookies should feel firm, but they should not color much, if at all. Cool completely.

4. Heat the almond bark in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and creamy. Drizzle over the cooled cookies (I used a ziploc bag with the tip snipped off, but you could also just drizzle with a spoon), then sprinkle with the crushed peppermints.
Makes about 40 cookies.

Chocolate Mint M&M Cookies

I do believe it's time to start making some Christmas cookies! I've been seeing some absolutely delicious ones come across the blogs.  Here is one that I made today, with my son who was home from daycare sick. I found this recipe here.

These would also be delicious with both white chocolate and dark chocolate chunks in them in place of the M&M's!  I did read a tip that had honestly never even occured to me before - when you're making drop cookies with chips, M&M's, or any kind of filler in them - save a littel and press it into the tops of the cookies. They're just prettier!

1 1/4 c. butter or light butter spread
2 c. flour
1 c. light brown sugar, packed
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 (9.5 oz) bag Mint M&M's, or about 1 1/2 cups

cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy

beat in eggs one at a time

add vanilla

add cocoa, salt and baking soda until well blended

beat in flour

fold in candies

chill dough for one hour up to overnight

drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheet

bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes - cookies will be puffed up, but centers will appear slightly under-baked

allow to cool on sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks for further cooling