Christmas Recipes

Merry Christmas! I hope many of you have finished your shopping and you are ready to think about what you will be serving your family on Christmas Eve through Christmas Day. I have published below some of my family's favorites for you to try. To see more recipes, click on the words (Older Posts) at the bottom of the page to find the rest. This year I have decided to make some changes to my Christmas Day menu but I won't be posting the new recipes until after the event to make sure the recipes really do work and because I want have some pictures to go with the recipes. They should be out for everyone to try on New Year's Eve. So in the meantime please enjoy these tried and true recipes and have a Happy Holiday Season.

Sweet Roll Cake with Cinnabon Frosting

I don't know about you but anything I can do to limit my time in the kitchen on the holidays is a priority. I used to spend all of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day cooking only to wonder how I managed to miss out on the day. So now I try to take short cuts where ever possible. I have always made cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning but that took me half the day to complete. This year I'm trying this cake recipe and it looks very promising. I found a recipe for Cinnabon frosting but the amount of butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar bordered on the ridiculous. So I cut the amounts to about 1/4 and had great results. The amount of frosting my recipe made was just the perfect amount for the cake. Happy Holidays everyone!

Serves 12-14
Cake
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 extra large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup(1 stick) butter melted

Topping
1 cup (2 sticks)butter softened
1 cup brown sugar packed
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp cinnamon

Cinnabon Frosting
1 stick butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese softened
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with baking spray. In the bowl of a standing mixer or a large bowl using a hand mixer, place all the cake ingredients. Mix until combined. Pour into the baking pan and spread out evenly. In a medium bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Drop spoonfuls of the topping onto the cake batter and cut in with a knife to get a swirl effect. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool until barely warm. Using a mixer beat the frosting ingredients together until light and fluffy. This will take about 12 minutes, so if using a hand mixer get someone to take turns with you. Scoop the frosting onto the barely warm cake. Spread out evenly. Cut the cake in half horizontally then cut into slices vertically.

Oven Omelet

I often make this during the holidays however there is no reason this couldn't be presented at brunch. The omelet can quickly be assembled and the oven will do the rest. You can even make it up to 24 hours ahead if time runs short. Just cover with foil and place in the frig. Remove the foil before baking. I made mine with mushrooms, green onions, cheese and prosciutto but you could add just about anything you like.

Serves 6

12 eggs,cracked
1/2 cup fat-free Plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup fat-free half and half
6 oz sliced mushrooms
6 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
4 green onions, slice
3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 325. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and spread out into a single layer. DO NOT STIR for 3-5 minutes, let them brown. Stir, sprinkle with salt and again leave alone for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, half and half salt and pepper. Layer the mushrooms, green onions and cheese on the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Lay the prosciutto on the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Creme Brulee French Toast

Oven French Toast is quick and easy. I haven't made French Toast the traditional way in years. I swapped the full fat half and half for the fat free variety to help lighten the dish a bit. You could also swap out half of the eggs for egg beaters to lower it a bit more. This recipe couldn't be more suited for a busy holiday morning. The dish is assembled the night before and then baked half an hour before you sit down to eat.My children would be very disappointed to not see this dish on the menu for Easter Brunch.

Serves 6-8

1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 loaf of French Bread sliced
8 eggs
2 cups fat-free half and half
1 teaspoon of Brandy
1 teaspoon Triple Sec
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
grated nutmeg-optional

In a microwave safe bowl, place the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat until the butter and sugar have melted, about 3 minutes on high. Spray the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Pour the brown sugar mix into the bottom of the pan to coat. Lay several pieces of bread on top of the brown sugar mix. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, brandy, triple sec and vanilla. Pour over the bread and grate the nutmeg over all. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350. Remove the foil and let the french toast come to room temperature. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes until puffed and browned. Serve with fresh berries.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

I have brought this to many pot-luck events during the holidays and I always get rave revues. My dad often requests this for Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner. It has just the right balance of chocolate and it is not too sweet. Unlike the Pear Bread Pudding below, this one does not require a water bath.

1 (1 pound loaf) french bread, cubed
3 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chocolate flavored liqueur
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder( dutch processed is best)
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces of chocolate chips
Whipped Cream

Preheat oven to 325
Lightly grease and 13x9 inch baking dish and place the bread in the dish. In a large bowl combine the sugars and cocoa and mix well. Add the milk, heavy cream, liqueur and vanilla and wisk until well combined. Add the beaten eggs and mix again. Pour the milk and egg custard over the bread in baking dish. Push down all the pieces so that they get a coating of the custard mixture. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Let mixture stand for about 20 minutes to allow the bread time to soak up the egg mixture. Bake for 1 hour or until set and a knife inserted comes out clean.
Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream or chill in the frig.

Crown Roast of Pork

We usually have prime rib on Christmas but this year I wanted to return to my husband's Norwegian roots and serve a pork roast. I chose a crown roast because it is the easiest to carve and serve. Outside of the up front prep, the oven does the majority of the work.

Serves 8-12

6-8 pound crown roast of pork
7 cloves garlic
2 fennel bulbs, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
3 stalks of celery, cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tsp dry thyme
2 cups chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 450. Scatter the onion, carrots, fennel, celery, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and 4 cloves of garlic over the bottom of a large roasting pan.Toss them with a small amount of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the roasting rack over the veggies and put the roast on the rack. Grate the remaining garlic into the olive oil and brush it over the roast both inside and out. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Finish the dried thyme. Cap the top of each rib bone with a bit of foil to prevent burning. Place the roast in the middle of your preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350. Continue roasting about 20 minutes per pound until the roast reaches an internal temp of 140. The last 30 minutes of roasting time, add the chicken stock to the bottom of the pan and finish the roast. This will help deglaze the pan for you.
Remove the roast from the oven and immediately cover it with foil. Let it rest for about 20 minutes. Remove the roast from the pan. Remove the foil caps. Cut the string that is holding the roast together and discard. Using a sharp knife, cut the roast apart. Slicing between the ribs. Make the gravy.

2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
2 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
pan drippings
3 tbsp corn starch mixed in a half cup of cold water

Strain the veggies and fat from the pan drippings. Place the drippings in a sauce pot. Add the sherry or wine, vinegar and sugar. Bring it to a boil, adjusting seasoning if necessary. Add the corn starch mixture, stirring constantly. Let the gravy return to a boil to allow it to thicken. Serve

Roasted Butternut Squash

This is a very simple side that looks elegant. The oven does all the work for you.

Serves 6-8

2 medium butternut squash
6 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cut off the ends of the butternut squash and peel the skin off using a vegetable peeler. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Then cut the squash into bite-sized chunks. Place the pieces into a large bowl and add the butter, salt, pepper and brown sugar. Toss with your hands to coat. Spread the pieces out onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast at 400 for 35-45 minutes or until the pieces are tender and the glaze has begun to caramelize. Turn the squash a few times during the roasting process to insure even browning.

Roasted Asparagus

Oven roasting veggies gives them a lovely browned taste that you can't get through steaming. It also takes very little prep and cooking time.

Serves 4



1 bundle of asparagus
1 lemon, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese, optional

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the ends off of the asparagus. Lay it out on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over all and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gentle toss with your hands to distribute the oil, salt and pepper evenly. Lay the asparagus out in a single layer. Lay the lemon slices over the asparagus and bake for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Scalloped Potatoes

I stumbled on this recipe several years ago and my kids won't let Christmas or Easter go by without this making an appearance on the table. However I need to warn you this dish is not for the faint of heart(literally). They probably have your cholesterol count for an entire year in the one dish.
That is why I will only make these twice a year. But they are so worth it!

Cook's Notes- You will need a vegetable slicer or Mandolin for this dish. I have the inexpensive plastic kind. But you need to be very careful when using this because if you get your fingers too close you may be heading to the emergency room. So stop slicing before you get down to the end of whatever you are slicing and you will be fine.
A note on the cornstarch. I have found that different labels of cream and half and half have different fat contents. That will greatly affect how thick the sauce will become. I also noticed that when I began using the slicer that my potatoes were so thin that they cooked a lot faster than the recipe called for and that will affect the sauce's thickness. So have the cornstarch handy if you need it. If your sauce becomes too thick, add more half and half to thin it out and if it is no

t thick enough, add a bit more cornstarch and water. Add a  little at a time until you get the desired thickness. The sauce must come to a boil before the cornstarch will take effect.

Serves 6
1 1/2 to 2 cups each of heavy cream and half and half
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste(1/2 a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon)
1 bay leaf
2 to 2 1/2 pounds of potatoes(6-7 cups  thinly sliced)
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
4 tablespoons butter to dot the top
3 tablespoons corn starch dissolved in 1/3 cup cold water

Pour 1 1/2 cups of cream and half and half into a 3 quart saucepan. Stir in garlic, salt and pepper and bay leaf. Add the potatoes. Once all are in, top off the potatoes with more cream and half and half until covered by 1/2 inch. Bring to just below a simmer and maintain this until the potatoes are tender. Check frequently and stirring to assure that the potatoes don't boil and that they don't stick to the bottom.
The cream mixture should have thickened. If it has not, add the corn starch that has been dissolved in cold water. Add slowly while you are stirring. Turn up the heat and let the mixture come to a boil. until mixture thickens.  When tender, pour into a greased 3-4 quart casserole. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Uncover, spread cheese over top, dot with butter and bake for  20 minutes at 425 until hot and bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Salted Dulce de Leche Coconut Thumbprints

My husband and our youngest son, Ryan, go nuts for coconut. I have tried several coconut cookies over the years in an effort to please the coconut lovers in our house but I was never completely happy with the results. This is the 5th coconut cookie recipe that I have tried and I am extremely happy with the results. I adjusted the recipe somewhat. Instead of making my own caramel filling, I opted to use a very good jarred Dulce de Leche spread. It is thicker than my own caramel sauce or the jarred ice-cream topping I have found in my super market. I used a jar of Gaucho Ranch Dulce de Leche that I found at Cost Plus. This same brand can be found on Amazon. Trader Joe's also has a very good jarred version that is equally as good and can also be purchased on Amazon.

3 sticks of butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
12 oz sweetened flaked coconut
1 15 oz jar of dulce de leche
fluer de sel (coarse sea salt)

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour and beat until just combined. Using a cookie scoop, form the dough into 1 inch balls. Place the eggs in a shallow dish and the coconut in another shallow dish. Roll each ball of dough into the beaten eggs and then into the coconut. Place the cookies onto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Using your thumb, gently press down onto the center of each cookie to make an indentation. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and using the back of a small spoon, repress the indentation. Return the cookies to the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Spoon a small amount of  dulce de leche into the center of each cookie and sprinkle a small amount of fluer de sel over the dulce de leche. Allow the cookies to cool completely and store in an air tight container, placing waxed paper between each layer of cookies.

Peppermint Meltaway Cookies

These are a new addition to my cookie offerings this year. I wanted to add something with peppermint that wasn't peppermint bark. This recipe fit the bill. The original called for a sweet buttercream frosting to top off the cookie but I decided to give mine a drizzle of white chocolate flavored with peppermint extract and topped with crushed peppermint candies. The resulting cookie is not too sweet and does not have an overpowering peppermint taste. This cookies reminds me of those wonderful butter mints that were served at the weddings and baby showers that I attended as a kid.

Yields-about 60 cookies

2 cups of butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup cornstarch
2-2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 12 oz package of white chocolate pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp peppermint extract
25-30 crushed up peppermint candies
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with a silpat or parchment paper. Place the butter, sugar and peppermint extract in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix for 3 minutes on medium speed until combined and the mixture is light and fluffy. Place the flour, cornstarch and baking soda in another bowl and with the mixer running on low, gradually add to the butter mixture until just combined. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough out into 1 inch balls. Place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Gently press down on the top of each ball with your fingers until the dough just forms a disc. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bottoms just begin to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the chocolate and the cream. Stir constantly until the white chocolate has melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the 1 tsp of peppermint extract. Using a small spoon, spread a small amount of melted chocolate over the top of each cookie. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies over the top of each cookie before the chocolate sets up. Store in an air tight container with a piece of waxed paper between layers of cookies.

Cheesecake Bites

If you like cheesecake than these are for you. My mom made a slightly different version of this recipe that you make in an oblong pan and then cut into squares. I took the original recipe and changed it up a bit, making individual servings in mini muffin cups. I also added the cherry pie filling on the top. These were the most popular offering on my holiday cookie tray last year and I plan to double the batch this year.

makes about 72

1 stick butter softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup walnuts
3 bricks cream cheese softened
3 egg
3 tblsp heavy cream
juice of one lemon
3 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
1 can cherry pie filling
Finely grind the nuts in a food processor. Add to the nuts the butter, brown sugar and flour. Combine with hands until a soft dough forms. Press 1 tsp of dough into the bottom of mini muffin tins that have been lined with paper cups. Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and let cool. Meanwhile mix together cream, sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, egg and vanilla. Scoop a small amount of batter into muffin cups just to the top, about 1 tablespoon per muffin cup. Top off each with 1 cherry and a bit of pie filling. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread is not my favorite holiday cookie to make because I found that no matter what recipe I used the cookies all turned out the same-dry! As I was researching a recipe this week I found that most everyone was experiencing the same problem. I decided I would just have to do some trial and error of my own to see if I could rectify the problem. I am happy to report that I nailed it on my first try. The trick is not to roll dough to thin and I added an extra egg to the dough. I also raised the amount of shortening to 1 cup and swapped half of that for butter to give it better flavor.

Yields about 5 doz. cookies

4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground pepper(optional)
1 1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 softened butter
3/4 sugar
2 extra large eggs

Combine the flour, baking soda and ground spiced in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter, shortening and sugar together until fluffy. Add the molasses and the eggs one at a time. With the mixer on low add the flour mixture and mix until just blended. Place the dough in the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap well and flatten into a disc. Place in the frig for at least an hour. Preheat the oven to 325. Roll the dough to just under 1/4 inch. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on a lined baking sheet for 12-14 minutes. Cool completely and decorate as desired.

Simple Glaze

2 1/4 powdered sugar
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 1/2-2 tbsp plus 1 tsp milk
Food coloring

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Divide into bowls or squeeze bottles and color as desired. Spread or squeeze onto cookies. Let harden before storing.

Sugar Cookies

This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have yet to stumble across. It rolls out easily and holds its shape during baking. I usually use one small cookie cutter to get 5 to 6 dozen and I sprinkle them with colored sugar before baking. You can also add food coloring to the dough during mixing for colored cookies. I do not recommend this recipe if you plan on frosting them. The amount of sugar in the cookie combined with a sweet frosting will put your loved ones into a sugar coma. Do use real butter and vanilla extract. Shortning and artificial flavorings detract from the overall flavor.

With a mixer cream together
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup softened butter
add
1 teaspoon real vanilla
2 eggs
Stir in
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Spoon out onto plastic wrap. Cover and pat into a disk
Refrigerate 2 hours
Preheat oven to 375
Divide the dough into 4ths and roll out on a lightly floured board
Roll each piece 1/4 inch thick
Cut with cookie cutters, rerolling and cutting the scraps into new cookies
Keep the board and rolling pin dusted with flour
Lay on greased cookie sheets or line the sheets with a Silpat pad
With a spray bottle, lightly mist the top of each cookie with colored sugar or other decorations. The water helps your decorations to stick to the cookie.
Bake for 7-8 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets half way through for even browning.
Let cookies cool a few minutes before removing from the pan.
Makes 5 dozen 2 inch cookies

Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Hands down these are my family's favorite cookies. I originally made these for my son to take with him back to college but they have since graced my holiday cookie platter and assorted pot-lucks. There are a few steps but each is simple to do and they do come together quickly.

Makes about 30 bars


Shortbread
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar

Caramel
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

Chocolate
8 oz chocolate, finely chopped (I used bittersweet)
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
Fleur de sel for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

To make the shortbread layer: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press into an even layer over the bottom (it'll be a fairly thin layer). Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.

To make the caramel layer: Combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the butter is melted. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and turns a light caramel color. This may take 10 minutes or more, so be patient. Pour the caramel mixture over the cooled shortbread and spread in an even layer. Allow to cool completely, then chill briefly (I stuck mine in the fridge overnight, but you just want to chill enough that it won't melt when you add the warm chocolate in the next step).

To make the chocolate layer: Add the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter to a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Pour the chocolate over the chilled caramel and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Let cool for a few minutes, then sprinkle the top with the fleur de sel (if using). Let the chocolate set completely before slicing and serving.

Lemon Bars

My mom made these every Christmas while I was growing up. So I only make them during the holidays unless my good friend Janelle asks me to bring them to a work function. So Janelle, I dedicate these to you.
Yields 36 small bars

preheat oven to 350
make crust with
1 cup of melted butter
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Place these in a bowl and mix togther until a soft dough forms
Press into the bottom of a greased rectangular cake pan
Bake for 15 minutes
Meanwhile make filling
5 eggs
juice of 2 large lemons
zest of one lemon
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Mix these together with a mixer until well combined
Pour over the baked crust and return to the oven for 30 minutes
Cut into bite size squares immediately and let cool completely
Glaze
Mix together
2 talblespoons melted butter
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Pour over cooled cookies
Remove from pan when glaze has set

Fudge

There is nothing like a good piece of fudge and fortunately, this recipe will make quite a few pieces. A candy maker I am not so when I found this recipe I was thrilled. You don't need a candy thermometer and measuring is a no-brainer.

Makes about 5 pounds

4 cups sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter(2 sticks)
1 bag milk chocolate pieces
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate pieces
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 bag mini marshmellows
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Bring the sugar, cream, and butter to a boil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the marshmallows, chocolate, and vanilla. Fold in the nuts. Pour fudge into a rimmed baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Allow to set up. Cut into small squares. Store in an air tight container. This recipe freezes well, otherwise store in the fridg.

Gingersnaps

I love the taste of gingerbread but have no desire to frost the little buggers. Too much time and effort to watch people gobble them up by the fistful. So I compromise and make these. I happen to think these taste better than those little brown cookie people.

Makes about 90 cookies

Cook's Notes- I use the smallest of cookie scoops to make these. The scoop makes a round ball and saves me some time as I don't have to hand roll them. I pour the sugar into a pie plate and scoop 15 cookies into the sugar at a time. Roll them in the sugar

and then load one cookie sheet before doing the next sheet full.

3 sticks softened butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups flour
raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 375. Line baking sheets with parchment or silpats. In a medium bowl mix together the flour and baking soda, set aside. In a large bowl with a mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and the molasses. Mix well. Add the spices and mix again, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running on low,add the flour and baking soda mixture. Mix until just combined. Drop by rounded tablespoon into a plate of raw sugar. Coat all sides with the sugar. Place the balls of dough onto the cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Stellini de Oro Cookies

The translation for this cookie is little golden stars. This is a nod to my Italian Heritage. I never got to know my Italian Nona very well so I never had the opportunity to learn authentic Italian cooking or traditions from her. But here's where I take my hat off to my mom because she went out of her way to learn how to make authentic Italian food from her dear friend Phyllis Gacilonne. Phyllis taught my mom how to make ravioli's, biscotti, pizelles, pizza, cannoli's, meatballs and marinara from scratch, just to name a few. My mom made biscotti for Christmas long before it was being sold at fancy coffee shops and grocery stores. Without my mom and Phyllis, I would never have learned to make some of the dishes that I consider to be a part of my heritage.

Cook's Notes- If you don't want to use yellow food coloring, you can use saffron threads instead. You need to steep them in a teaspoon or 2 of warm water before adding to the dough or glaze. Cut back on some of the orange juice in both the dough and the glaze if you opt for this method, otherwise both may be too wet.

Makes 8 dozen

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 sticks of softened butter
zest and juice of 1 large orange
6 drops of yellow food coloring
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Glaze
4 teaspoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup powdered sugar
4 drops yellow food coloring

gold sanding sugar

In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, orange zest, vanilla, orange juice and food coloring. Mix well. Add the flour mixture and mix with the mixer at low speed. Spoon the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap well and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Cut off a small piece of dough and roll the dough out onto a lightly floured board to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a small star cookie cutter, cut out the cookies. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Bake at 375 for 6-7 minutes. They should be firm to the touch but still pale. Remove to a rack and cool. Frost with glaze and sprinkle with gold sanding sugar if desired.