Baking Christmas Cookies - my favorites

So, last night Maddie and I talked and decided it was time to bake the Christmas cookies. Typically every year in our house, we don't eat them, so they end up going to waste. I try to give them away, but everyone I know bakes too.

Regardless of whether or not they go to waste, we are baking every year. It is just a tradition, and I am going to keep it.

I will post pics or a scrapbook page of the bake-fest later! For now, I have to clean and clean and clean some more. Plus, there is laundry, naps and all that goes along with having two youngins.

So here are my favorite Christmas cookies to bake.

Buckeyes

Combine in a bowl:

1/2 c. butter melted

1-1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

4 c. confectioners sugar (powdered)

1 tsp. vanilla

(consistency will be grainy)

Roll into balls and place on wax paper in the fridge for 30 minutes.

In a double boiler (or you can use a metal bowl over a pot of water), you combine:

2-1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

and 2 tbsp. shortening.

Over medium heat, mix with a fork until smooth

Remove balls from fridge and use a toothpick to pick up them up, and dunk them into the melted chocolate. Leave a spot, so they look like a real buckeye!

Re-place on wax paper.

Continue and then re-refridgerate overnight.

My mom's EASY CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Combine in a bowl,

1/2 c. oil

2 eggs

1 tbsp. water

1 box of yellow cake mix

1 bag of chocolate chips

Use a baller to place dobs on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 325º for 10-12 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c. peanut butter

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2-1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350º for 12-15 minutes.

Press hersheys kiss or m&m in the center of the cookie while still warm.

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

2/3 c. pumpkin

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 c. flour

Combine above ingredients. Grease pan with shortening. Press into pan a piece of greased wax paper. Pour cake ingredients onto wax paper and Bake 15 minutes at 375º. While still hot flip it onto a dish towel covered with powdered sugar and roll it up. Let it cool that way (this is how it will stay closed later!)

Make the filing.

8 oz. cream cheese

3 tbsp. margarine

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. powdered sugar

When cake has cooled completely, unroll it, take out the towel, put in the filing evenly and roll it back up. Refridgerate!

Soft Sugar Cookies

3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

1 c. margarine (two sticks)

1 c. sugar

Mix flour, baking powder and baking soda. Separately combine the butter, eggs and sugar.

Now add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and fold together.

Roll with flourered rolling pin out onto a floured board. Cut with cutters and bake at 375º for about 7 minutes.

Decorate individual cookies with frosting, colored sugar or candies.