Fun Friday- Holiday Edition

What would the holidays be without cookies?  Here are two of our favorite.  Would love to tell you where they came from, but I have used them for years...so probably out of a magazine from ages past.  Both are quite simple but still yummy!




Vanilla Thumbprints
makes 3 1/2 dozen

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup apricot or raspberry jam

1. Heat oven to 350
2. Combine butter and sugar in the bowl with an electric mixer. Cream using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the flour and mix just until incorporated (dough will be soft)
3. Roll 2 teaspoons of dough between your hands into a 1-inch ball. Repeat spacing 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. With a floured  thumb, make an indentation in the center of each ball of dough. (I use the end of a melon ball scooper!)  Fill each indentation with 1/2 raspberry or apricot jam
4. Bake at 350 about 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown around bottoms. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Peppermint Cookies
makes 3 dozen

3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 crushed peppermint candy canes or mints. divided

1. Heat oven to 350
2. Beat shortening, brown sugar, sugar, milk, vanilla in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture at low speed just until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup crushed candy. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.
3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately sprinkle each cookie with about 1/4 teaspoon crushed candy. Cool 2 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely.


Enjoy!