Thalia's Cookbook

cookie cronicles

table of contents

snowballs 1 gingerbread 3 sugar cookies 4 reese’s peanut butter cup 6 chocolate crinkle 8 rolo pretzels 10 ricotta cookies 12 thumb prints 14 gingersnaps 16 peacan crescents 18

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snowball cookies From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup very finely chopped pecans 1/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup powdered sugar, or more as needed

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 2. Beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually mix in flour, pecans, and salt until completely incorporated. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets 3. Bake in the preheated oven until bottoms are light golden brown but tops are still pale, 12 to 15 minutes. (Try not to let cookies get too brown: it’s better to undercook them than to overcook them.)

4. Remove cookies from the oven and let sit on the baking sheets briefly before removing to wire racks 5. Place 1/3 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl; roll hot cookies in sugar to coat, then return to the wire racks to cool. Once cooled, roll cookies in the powdered sugar once more

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gingerbread From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 2 teaspoons McCormick® Ginger, Ground 1 teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup butter, softened ¾ cup packed dark-brown sugar ½ cup molasses 1 egg 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions: 1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl.

2. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla; mix well.

Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.

3. Press dough into a thick, flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight..

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

5. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with a 5-inch cookie cutter. Place gingerbread men 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

7. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

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sugar cookies From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 2 cups white sugar 1 ½ cups butter, softened 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

Directions: 1.

2.

3.

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5.

6.

7.

Beat sugar and softened butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.

Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least 1 hour (or overnight).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Lightly dust work surface with flour. Roll dough to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before decorating.

After it cools, decorate as desired.

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reece’s peanut butter cup From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ cup butter, softened ½ cup white sugar ½ cup peanut butter ½ cup packed brown sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons milk 40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions: 1.

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk.

Add the flour mixture; mix well.

Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

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chocolate crinkle From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 2 cups white sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup vegetable oil 4 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions: 1.

2.

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Mix sugar, cocoa, and oil together in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Stir in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Gradually stir flour mixture into the cocoa mixture until thoroughly mixed. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Roll or scoop chilled dough into 1-inch balls. Coat each ball in confectioners’ sugar and place 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to make remaining batches.

Enjoy!

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rolo pretzels From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 20 small mini pretzels 20 chocolate-covered caramel candies (such as Rolo) 20 pecan halves

Directions: 1.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Arrange pretzels in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheet. Place one caramel candy on top of each pretzel.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until caramels soften, about 4 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and immediately press a pecan half into each warm caramel. Cool completely before serving.

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ric0tta cookies From the kitchen of: stacy larson ingredients: 15 ounces ricotta cheese 1 ¾ cups white sugar ½ pound butter 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 4 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda

glaze: 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar 5 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon almond extract ¼ cup colored candy sprinkles

Directions: 1.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease or line cookie sheets.

2. Combine ricotta, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; blend into ricotta mixture, mixing in additional flour if needed to form a workable dough. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.

4. To make the glaze: Mix confectioners’ sugar, milk, and almond extract together until smooth. Spoon over warm cookies, and sprinkle with colored candy sprinkles.

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thumb prints From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 1 large egg, separated, divided ½ cup butter, softened ¼ cup packed brown sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts 2/3 cup any flavor fruit jam

Directions:

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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.

Whisk egg white in a small bowl. Place chopped walnuts in another small bowl.

Cream butter, brown sugar, and egg yolk in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add flour, vanilla, and salt; mix until well combined.

Scoop dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Dip in egg white, then roll in walnuts until coated. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven until slightly puffed, about 5 minutes.

Remove cookies from the oven. Use your thumb to gently press an indent in the center of each cookie. Spoon jam into each thumbprint, filling it to the brim.

Return cookies to the oven and bake until set, about 8 minutes.

Remove from the oven and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

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gingersnaps From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 2 tablespoons white sugar 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup butter or margarine, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 large egg ¼ cup molasses 1 tablespoon water

Directions: 1.

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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Set 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl; set aside.

Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a bowl.

Beat butter and remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then stir in molasses and water.

Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture until well combined.

Use floured hands to shape dough into 24 walnut-sized balls. Roll each ball in the reserved sugar until coated. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets, and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, switching racks halfway through.

Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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peacan crescents From the kitchen of: stacy larson Ingredients: 1 cup butter ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups chopped pecans 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C).

2. Beat butter in large bowl with an electric mixer, gradually adding confectioners’ sugar and salt until light and fluffy.

3. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Add flour gradually; mix well. Shape dough into crescents using a teaspoon full for each crescent. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, about 15 to 30 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly, then roll in additional confectioners’ sugar.

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thalia cordero-morales