I always loved to make Christmas cookies when I was a teenager and then later when I had my kids and husband to bake for. Over the years I have tried many recipes for Christmas and somehow we all ended up with favorites that were baked every year. This year however I decided it was time to go against tradition and try some new recipes. Earlier this evening I baked the first of the new Christmas cookies – lets see how well they go over this year.
This one might become a favorite of mine. Chocolate Chip Biscotti with Almonds and Cranberry’s. (easy, easy) Recipe as follows:
sliced, baked biscotti - great with the coffee drink of your choice or hot chocolate
Chocolate Chip Biscotti (recipe is in the December 2009 issue of Better Homes and Garden magazine)
1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix (see I told you it was easy)
1/3 cup butter or margarine softened
1 egg
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts (I used almonds as that was in my pantry)
1/2 cup cherry-flavored dried chopped cranberries (I used regular dried cranberries as that was in the pantry)
1 cup chocolate chips
Make cookie dough blending cookie mix, butter, egg, flour, nuts, fruit and the chocolate chips. This will be a stiff loose dough. Roll half of the dough at a time into 8 x 2 1/2 inch rectangles. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Cut each rectangle into 3/4 inch slices. Place slices cut side down on a cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes on each side – check half way through baking time and adjust time if needed – you want them light brown.
Cool completely and store in a tight container. My recipe made 18 slices – I did not have my tape measure out and some were larger than others. If you want more – measure! I adjusted the baking time as I found it needed more. That is why I say check for brownness – ovens vary. Also they had a lot more chocolate chips in them and I thought it was way too much so I cut in by a half a cup.
biscotti shaped in rectangle logs before the first round of baking.
back of the sweater before I knitted several more rows making it at the point to start shaping the area for the armholes. It has been coming along nicely. Now to re-read the instructions and make sure I know the next step!!
"Insanity Revisited" Row 9 block 4 -- I woke up extra special early this morning so here I was at 5:30 this morning starting this block and finishing it by 7! Not a way I normally start the day off.
I will be looking through cookbooks for cookie recipes and I will keep sharing them with you and let you know what I think of them!
