WFMW: Christmas cookie recipes and gift wrap tips

Good Christmas countdown week! This week, I'll be updating my cookie recipe list with the new things that I tried this year. I'll also include this post, which was last year's cookie post and this one on wrapping tips. I've worked at art galleries for nearly 12 years, doing anything from flat wrap with bows to nesting in tissue and tying bows onto packages. Let me share my tips with you! In the meantime, shall we bake?

Ginger Kisses
(called Chocolate-Kissed Gingerbread, but I like my name better!)
3 c flour
2 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t salt
3/4 c butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c molasses (I used full flavor)
1 egg
1 bag Hershey Hug candies

Beat butter, egg and sugar. Add molasses. Add spices, salt and baking soda, mixing well. Add flour little by little until well incorporated. REFRIGERATE FOR 4 HOURS OR OVERNIGHT. I did overnight, as I figured that they probably didn't suggest it for nothing.

Shape dough into 1" balls (a Pampered Chef small scoop is perfect for this), roll in granulated sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Immediately press an unwrapped Hershey Hug into the center of each cookie. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Made about 4 1/2 dozen.

Butter Crisp Cookies
(recipe from Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer)

One box yellow cake mix (I used French Vanilla, because that is what I had)
1 egg
3/4 butter, melted
1 cup Rice Krispies

Blend all ingredients together. Dough will be crumbly. Form into tight 1 inch balls and flatten slightly. Bake in 350 F oven for 10-12 minutes. Mmmm. Delicious.

Made about 4 - 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Red Hot Sugar Cookies
2 3/4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla (I always use more, so I think I did 1 1/2 t.)
Box of red cinnamon candies

Heat oven to 350 F. (They called for 375 F, but I found that 350 F was a bit more better tuned to my oven.) Mix butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together. Add baking powder and soda. Mix flour in little by little until well incorporated. Pour red hot candies in and allow to mix in well.

-- This recipe calls for rolling and cutting. I'm not a happy roll and cut kind of girl. Cut-out's drive me batty. I decided to bake these using my Pampered Chef Small scoop and they turned out beautifully. Just make sure that after you've placed your scoop of dough on the cookie sheet, give it a little pat to smoosh it down slightly. It'll be happier that way. So will you. You've just saved yourself the hassle of dirtying the kitchen table with flour and whatnot for cut-out's.--

Follow my adjusted directions just above, baking the cookies for 8-10 minutes (I lean on 8, as I don't like crispy sugar cookies) and allowing to cool on a wire rack.

Made 5 dozen.


Fondant
My friend, Rachael, did a rockin' step-by-step post on making fondant. She makes the fondant that you eat like candy. This isn't the slick stuff that goes on cakes. Just check out her post here. You'll see that she has quite a helpful assistant!

On tour:
I'm on tour with the Christmas Tour of Homes. (Or in my case, work and home.) Come on by for a visit!

Smiles in my day:
- Meeting with K-'s teacher this AM to talk about the Christmas party. She was so excited that I bought plates and napkins, instead of using the generic yucky white stuff from the PTA. She was so funny! :)
- I switched shampoo and my hair seems to be behaving better.
- Hubs got up and got rolling at 5:00 AM this morning. He called at 7:11 AM to make certain that we were up. (We were, but it was nice to have him remember us!) He had a conference to attend today.

Have a great day!