1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 1-1/2 cups of the cashews in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Gradually add oil, processing about 2 minutes or until mixture is as creamy as peanut butter. Coarsely chop the remainder of the 2-1/4 cups cashews; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the processed cashews, brown sugar, butter, and the 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until light and fluffy, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Gradually add flour, beating on low speed until combined. Stir in the coarsely chopped cashews.
3. Shape dough into 1-1/2-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a glass in additional granulated sugar and flatten each ball to about 3/8-inch thickness.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are light golden brown and edges are firm. Cool cookies on a wire rack.
5. For topping: In a small saucepan, combine caramels and whipping cream. Cook and stir over low heat until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Cool slightly (10 to 15 minutes). Spoon a small amount of icing on top of each cookie; add a cashew half. Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes or until icing is set. Makes about 36 cookies.
6. To Store: Layer uniced cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw cookies if frozen. Prepare icing and decorate cookies as directed in step 5.
1. Prepare Basic Cookie Dough. Between sheets of lightly floured waxed paper, roll dough into a 16x9-inch rectangle. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup mixed nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture clings together. Sprinkle mixture evenly over dough. Starting from a long side, roll up dough tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Freeze about 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to slice.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut roll into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven about 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Drizzle cookies with Vanilla Glaze. If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped mixed nuts. Makes about 60 cookies.
To Store: Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Vanilla Glaze: In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough milk (3 to 4 teaspoons) to make a glaze of drizzling consistency.
Basic Cookie Dough Recipe: In a large bowl, combine 1/4 c. butter (softened), 1/4 c. shortening, and 2 ounces cream cheese (softened). Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 c. brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in 1 egg and 2 tsp. vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the 2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Makes about 2-3/4 cups dough.
Easy Gingerbread Friends Recipe
(from pillsburyrecipes)
INGREDIENTS
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated gingerbread cookies
1/2 cup ready-to-spread frosting
100 red cinnamon candies or other small red candies
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove half of cookie dough from wrapper; refrigerate remaining dough until needed.
2. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of flour onto work surface; coat sides of half of dough with flour. With rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. With floured 2 1/2- to 3-inch gingerbread boy or girl cutter, cut out dough boys or girls. Gently brush excess flour from shapes; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
3. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling racks. Cool completely. Place icing in piping bag, decorate with icing and candies for eyes and buttons, as desired.
Fun With Santa Cookies Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Additional 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting (from 1-lb container)
Red food color (liquid or paste)
Miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits and/or chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in 1/4 cup flour until well blended. Remove half the dough, and refrigerate remaining dough until needed. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour onto work surface. With floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick.
2. With cookie cutters, cut dough into 2 1/2-inch rounds, ovals, stars and half moon shapes (see shapes in photo). On ungreased cookie sheets, place shapes 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining half of dough and flour.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the frosting and food color until well blended and desired red color. Decorate each cookie to look like Santa with red frosting, white frosting and baking bits.(via pillsburyrecipes)
Candy Manor Peppermint Hot Chocolate
INGREDIENTS:
Whipped Cream:
1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (recommended: Boyajian)
2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candy
Hot Chocolate:
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, grated
1 quart (32 ounces) whole milk
1/3 cup (3 ounces) sugar
1/3 cup (3 ounces) boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (recommended: Boyajian)
Candy canes, garnishDIRECTIONS:
1. To make the whipped cream: Place the cream, powdered sugar and peppermint extract in a chilled mixing bowl, and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the crushed candy. Refrigerate the whipped cream.
2. To make the hot chocolate: Place the chocolate in a 2 1/2-quart metal mixing bowl. Place the bowl over (but not touching) a pan of simmering water. (The bowl will seem large, but you need the space to mix in the milk.) Stir the chocolate occasionally with a rubber spatula.
3. In the meantime, pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan. Whisk in the sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the milk begins to simmer and bubbles form around the edge. Turn off the heat.
4. When the chocolate has melted, reduce the heat so the water under the pan barely simmers. Pour the 1/3 cup of boiling water into the melted chocolate, and whisk or beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Dribble in the hot milk mixture as you whisk. When the ingredients are well incorporated, remove the bowl from the water bath, and stir in the vanilla and peppermint.
5. To serve, ladle the hot chocolate into mugs, and top with a generous dollop of the whipped cream. Garnish with a candy cane.(via ezrapoundcake)
Spiral Snowman Cookies Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
Large gumdrops
Miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits
Coarse white sparkling sugar, if desired
DIRECTIONS
1. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour until well blended. Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic wrap. Freeze 10 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 350ºF. Shape half of dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. With fingers, roll each ball into 10-inch rope, about 1/4 inch wide; carefully place on ungreased cookie sheets. With each rope, starting at top, make small spiral for head, continuing to make larger spiral for body, in an “s” shape.
3. Cut hat shapes from gumdrops; place on heads. Use baking bits for buttons, eyes and noses. Cut small pieces from red gumdrop for mouths. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
4. Bake 9 to 13 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.(via pillsburyrecipes)
Reindeer Cookies Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated gingerbread or peanut butter cookies
64 small pretzel twists
64 semisweet chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup)
16 candied cherries, cut in half, if desired
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. With hands, shape roll of cookie dough into triangle-shaped log. (If dough is too soft to cut, place in freezer 30 minutes.)
2. With thin sharp knife, cut dough into 32 (1/4-inch-thick) triangular slices; on ungreased cookie sheets, place 2 inches apart. Place 2 pretzel twists on each triangle near corners for antlers.
3. Bake 7 to 11 minutes or until set. While warm, lightly press 2 chocolate chips into each cookie for eyes and 1 cherry half for nose. Remove from cookie sheets. Let stand until chocolate chips are set, about 15 minutes. Store between sheets of waxed paper in tightly covered container.(via pillsburyrecipes)
