What is your favourite Christmas treat?

What's your very favourite thing to make or enjoy during the holidays? Share a recipe if it's not a family secret!

The thing I can't wait to bake during the holidays are dark chocolate cookies with a peppermint patty surprise and a drizzle of white chocolate.



I'm not sure who to credit for the recipe, but I've been making these for the last ten years, and people love them. I'll give credit to myself, while on a drunken Internet procrastination binge before some dreaded holiday function. I've altered it slightly after years of trials and error.

Recipe

Ahead of time: Freeze 24-25 miniature York Peppermint Patties
(I'm not saying it has to be this brand, but this is the ONLY brand I've personally used that did not leak out of the cookies. Experiment as you wish.)

3/4 cup butter (soft)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 large egg (I always use brown eggs and reccommend you do the same even though this is complete and utter nonsense.)

Cream sugars and butter together in a large bowl with a hand or stand mixer. Add egg when butter is creamed and beat until it's fluffy enough to look slightly delightful. (You can try doing this by hand if you even lift, or have competed in an Olympic level gymnastics rings competition.)

In a medium sized bowl sift or whisk together dry ingredients.

1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Dutch processed cocoa, this changes the PH level of the cocoa powder and gives it a smoother, richer flavour. I swear.)
1 1/2 tsps. baking soda
Salt. If you're using salted butter, use half a teaspoon. With unsalted butter use one teaspoon.

Add this dry mixture about a half cup at a time to the wet ingredients and blend. It will be a very thick cookie dough, so go slowly or risk breaking your stand mixer/hand mixer/arm. When all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, stop mixing.

If you need cookies TODAY, scoop the mixture into 24-25 TBSP sized balls (I have a little ice cream scoop that is almost exactly a tablespoon, and it's perfect. Otherwise, trust your judgement.) right now and set them on a piece of parchment, or really, whatever you feel like. Alternately, all cookie doughs taste better if rested in the fridge for 24 hours. They'll taste good either way.

Now for the fun part. Encase your clappers in unpowdered latex gloves. (Don't have any? Pretty much every health care office has a stash of these in their bathroom cupboard. Steal a few pairs and wash in mild soapy water. Your health dollars at work!) Allergic to latex? Prepare to have chocolatey coloured palms, which is probably racist, or you'll look like Tan Mom, because no one has pigmented palms. Now is the time to open the peppermint patties if they're individually wrapped. Flatten each ball of cookie dough into a round disk in your palm. Put a peppermint patty in the middle of the disk and gently fold the dough up and around the sides to completely encase the patty. Don't work the dough too much, because it will likely make a mess and make a tough cookie. Repeat until you're out of dough.

Place shaped cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and pop in the freezer or on the deck if it's cold enough. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Let the cookies chill for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bake for 13 minutes until cookies are just set. If you're baking two sheets at a time, switch the pans around halfway through.

You can eat the cookies just like this. Once they're cooled! Or, you can drizzle them with white chocolate melted in a double boiler or the microwave and sprinkled with peppermint, coarse sugar, Christmas anxiety, or anything you feel like.

This was an overly complicated break down, but in the end, maybe an hour from start to finish, you'll have these:



Now I want to try your recipes, be they overly complicated or simple.

Those look sooo good have subscribed to save this one!!!!!

My recipe is an Avocado Pie. Been making it for over 25 years, but, it's a family secret. When I bring it to family functions, they ask " Where's yours." It's yum. LOL...

White divinity fudge my mother used to make. It's probably why I'm diabetic, now.

These Mint Oreo Truffles are sounding pretty awesome...



This comment got my attention:

Since this recipe makes a ton, Kevin took the leftovers to his friends the next day. Our friends’ reactions were hilarious:

“Oh my god.”

“This is made from Oreos?!?!”

“I’m going to be fat but it’s so worth it.”

“Can you marry me instead?”

sallysbakingaddiction.com...

Have not made them yet though but am planning to use one of the recipes below...

See this search for tracking down some ideas...

A good suggestion for dipping them:

I was having trouble keeping the white chocolate coating “pretty” too. Came up with this method which worked well for me: stick the tip of a chopstick into the frozen ball just enough to hold it there, spin the ball in the white chocolate to cover everything, then hold the chopstick vertically with the ball at the top and use the tines of a fork to lift the ball off the chopstick and set on your parchment paper. It keeps the smooth chocolate shell untouched, with only the bottom of the ball (which is hidden anyways) with any marks. Making these again today and will be using this easy method!

No-Bake Golden Oreo Truffles

A couple of peppermint versions...

...there are about a million Oreo truffle recipes floating around the internet. So why share this recipe with you? Well because it is just that good, it’s worth making some sort of exception for and because if there are any of you who haven’t tried this recipe yet, or who forgot about this recipe, I hope you’ll give it a go! You might love it as much as we do.

While I prefer a smoother texture, you can add some crushed candy canes into the cookie mixture for more peppermint taste and crunch.

39 regular Oreo cookies
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
2 regular-size candy canes, finely crushed

www.handletheheat.com...

I found one blogger below who said that the peppermint Oreos are an awesome secret ingredient...

The seasonal Peppermint Oreos are the key to making these cake balls perfect. The cookie is the traditional chocolate cookie that we all know & love, but the filling is red and peppermint-flavored! They are awesome all on their own, but when they are ground up and made in to cake balls, covered in chocolate and coated with crushed candy canes (or Starlight mints)? Oh – BABY! My family just went nuts for it and I hope that yours will too!

• 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 pkg (15.25 oz) OREO Cookies with Peppermint Cream, finely crushed (run them through a food processor for best results)
• 1 pkg candy melts (find them at your local craft store)
• 1/2 bag starlight mints or a few candy canes, finely crushed

Just FYI – if you can’t find Peppermint Oreos (they release certain varieties to certain stores) look for “Candy Cane Oreos” (I buy these at Target) or you can also replicate this recipe by using regular Oreos and adding 1 tsp peppermint extract to the cookie/cream cheese mixture!

Kassie says
I found peppermint Oreos at Target!

Mindi Cherry says
Yep! They call them “Candy Cane Oreos” there!

momsneedtoknow.com...

Ingredients

• 1 package Trader Joes Candy Cane Joe Joe's - about 16 ounces (or 1 package of regular oreos and 2 candy canes)
• 1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
• white chocolate
• dark chocolate

Sprinkle the reserved Oreo crumbles on top to garnish and then let the chocolate set and dry.

whatsgabycooking.com...

I placed the 10 mini candy canes into my food processor really crush them into a fine texture. The candy canes used for topping were crushed in a ziptop bag with a mallet.

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 box (13 ounces) Mini Oreo Candy Cane Cookies, finely crushed
• 10 mini candy canes, finely crushed (see note below)
• 16 ounces dark or white candy wafers

For Garnish
5 mini candy canes, crushed (optional)

Cathy
Where did you find the mini candy cane oreo cookies? I can’t seem to locate them. These look so yummy and easy to make. Thanks!

Jamie
I picked them up at Kroger. I hope this helps.

Alexis
What brand candy wafers do you use? Mine never get to the point that I can spoon it out.

Jamie
I love the Ghirardelli melting wafers! I hope this helps!

www.mybakingaddiction.com...

OREO Cookie Ball Reindeers

• 1 pkg (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened
• 36 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)
• 4 pkg. (4 oz. each) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
• Optional additions to decorate like a reindeer:
• 24 small twist pretzels
• 48 red hot candies
• 96 eye candies

www.chelseasmessyapron.com...

Mint Oreo Cake Truffles

Make these Mint Oreo Truffles with chocolate cake and cream cheese for a simple sweet treat- perfect for gifting and holiday class parties.
Bake cake according to package directions and allow to cool. I made mine the day before. Using your hands or fork crumble up about half of the cake and add to the Oreo crumbs.

• 1 package Mint Oreos, Double Stuffed
• ½ of 9x13 prepared chocolate cake, cooled and crumbled (or one 9 inch round)
• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 16 oz (2 Cups) melted chocolate for dipping (+ 1TBS shortening if needed)
• Sprinkles, extra chocolate for decorations if desired

www.inkatrinaskitchen.com...

No-Bake Thin Mint Cookie Truffles

• 1 (9 oz) package of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies (or Keebler Grasshopper cookies)
• 1/2 package (4 oz) cream cheese, softened (I used fat free and it worked great)
• 1 (12 oz) bag Guittard’s Green Mint Chips (I just found these at the grocery store)*

www.sixsistersstuff.com...

In a food processor or blender, process and crush all of the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. NOTE: Do not over crush! You want a crumb, not a powder. If you do not have a food processor or blender, cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a Rolling Pin.

whatscookingamerica.net...

OREO truffle Cookie Ball snow man...

originally posted by: DaphneApollo
Those look sooo good have subscribed to save this one!!!!!

My recipe is an Avocado Pie. Been making it for over 25 years, but, it's a family secret. When I bring it to family functions, they ask " Where's yours." It's yum. LOL...

I'm now extremely curious about Avocado Pie, but I respect family secrets.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Avocado Pie

1 package lime jello
1 lime (juiced) add to required water for jello
1 can crushed pineapple (reserve liquid) add to Jello

chill lime jello pinch of salt as well to liquid before setting.

1 carton cool whip
1 package cream cheese
1 avocado (half mashed and creamed with the cream cheese)
1 graham cracker crust.

Take big bowl add jello, creamed avocado with the cream cheese mixture and mix together, add cool whip and gently fold together. Add pineapple and cut in small diced pieces the other half of the avocado and fold all together put into graham cracker crust/ chill. Will set nicely. Then serve.

... my family loves it.

a reply to: Atsbhct

What's your very favourite thing to make or enjoy during the holidays?

When its all over with for another year...

a reply to: Atsbhct

Whipped shortbread cookies.

I can inhale those things by the fistful !

They literally melt into a delectable buttery dream come true the minute they hit your tongue...

originally posted by: Akragon
a reply to: Atsbhct

What's your very favourite thing to make or enjoy during the holidays?

When its all over with for another year...

I pretty much agree. I mostly bake to stress eat it all.

Cheesecake, any kind of cheesecake. Last year it was cranberry, this year it's Meyer lemon. Gluten free since I've been blessed with Celiac, lol. Yum! It's in the oven right now and smells so good!!

Crust:
1 3/4 cup GF ginger snap crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

Filling:
3 8oz packages of cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

Lemon Curd:
1 1/2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest
6 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut in to bits

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit

Crust:
Lightly spray a (9-inch) springform pan with cooking spray. Mix crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and crust is set. Cool on rack.

Filling:
In large bowl with electric mixer on medium-high, beat cream cheese and sour cream for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar or sugar substitute. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until incorporated. Beat in zest and juice. Pour into crust. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until center is almost set, but still slightly jiggly. (Do not overbake, as it will firm as it cools). Let cool completely.

Lemon Curd:
In the top of a double boiler, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, egg, egg yolk, and sugar or sugar substitute over gently simmering water. Whisk until hot and frothy, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in butter and continue whisking for 7 minutes or until thickened and coats back of spoon. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes.

Run a thin blade around the edge of the springform pan and remove sides. Transfer to a serving plate. Spread lemon curd over top. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Cool cheesecake in refrigerator several hours or overnight before serving.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: Atsbhct

Whipped shortbread cookies.

I can inhale those things by the fistful !

They literally melt into a delectable buttery dream come true the minute they hit your tongue...

These have to be a Canadian favourite, because 6 people at our cookie swap this year made these. Some were more delectable than others, and yours sound more delectable than any of them.

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

Thank you for this! I have one gluten free aunt who always packs her own sad looking box of store bought gluten free snacks during the holidays. She'll be overjoyed.

Banana split cake!
Making one tomorrow..

Graham cracker crust.

1 package cream cheese softened
1 stick butter softened
Mix together well then mix in 2 cups powdered sugar
Spread mixture over crust
Drain thoroughly 1 can crushed pineapple and spread over cheese mix
Slice two bananas on top of pineapple
Cover with 1 container of softened cool whip
Add marichino cherrys on top
Use chocolate syrup to draw a decorative pattern on top.
Chill then eat.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I love those no bake cookies you cook on the stove burner..they have cocoa and old fashioned oatmeal...I could eat lots of those!!!!!

a reply to: Atsbhct

Here's my grandma's recipe for whipped shortbread if you feel the itch to make a batch:

3/4 lb of butter
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 cup flour

- Whip your butter into a fluffy frenzy.

- Sift together your dry ingredients and slowly add it to the butter a bit at a time whipping with your electric mixer.

- Whip for a couple of minutes more to make the batter as airy as possible.

- Using a teaspoon, spoon onto cookie sheets (batter will be very gooey, so you'll have to lick your fingers clean between each dollop onto the cookie sheet) and top off with a small piece of red or green christmas cherries (or just leave them plain).

- Bake at 350 for anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on your oven.

Basically, you have to grab a kitchen chair and plop it down in front of the oven checking on the cookies every minute, literally. The very second you notice them starting to get ever-so-slightly 'browned' on the bottom, take them out.

Remove cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.



Then inhale them all with a glass of milk and apologize to everyone who comes over later in the evening that, unfortunately, you were unable to get around to making their favourite cookie this year... with a big sad look on your face:

originally posted by: Akragon
a reply to: Atsbhct

What's your very favourite thing to make or enjoy during the holidays?

When its all over with for another year...

LoL.

First thing that came to my mind was Jan. 2nd

a reply to: Atsbhct


Wow! Those look yummy! I am adding this recipe to my to try list!

I am making a double batch of Chocolate Turtle Cookies

a reply to: research100

The old man makes those!

They call them "cow patties" around here. I think they have a little peanut butter also.

It's his contribution to holiday "baking"!

a reply to: seeker1963

Mmm. These are my kind of cookie!

Thanks for contributing, everyone!

a reply to: Atsbhct

My mamas butterscotch chocolate fudge. The hint of the butterscotch makes the fudge unforgetable. Nom, nom.