More christmas baking

I think this is the oldest cookbook I have in my house and its a little gem. Every year we have to make some shortbread cookies for christmas and this very old book contains the recipe we always go to.  Just butter, sugar, flour and vanilla.  thats it 

I tried to find the copy wright to see how old the book was but only found this date that my mother wrote in it

Here are some of my cutters.  I love the message in a cookie.

Christmas sprinkles, dragees, nonpareils and coloured sugar for the cookies

To make the shortbread add 1 cup of softened butter with 1/2 cup of icing sugar  and mix until just combined, you don't want to beat the butter and sugar too much or else your cookies will spread out a lot during baking and not really hold their shape.   Then add 1 tsp vanilla and 2 cups sifted flour and mix until it just comes together.  

Turn out the dough on a floured surface and bring the dough together to form a ball.  Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and let the dough rest in the fridge for 1 hour

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use your favourite cutters and sprinkles.  Here I used the stamps to create messages on the cookie.  LOVE IT!

Next I made chocolate chip cookies, but not just the regular kind but cranberry, white chocolate and pecan.  I used a recipe from Nigella's Christmas  but you can take any chocolate chip cookie recipe and add in your favourite chocolate, dried fruit and nuts

I love white chocolate

Dried cranberries.  so christmassy and chewy and tart

I formed the cookie dough into a ball, and cut the ball in half and rolled them into logs.  I wrapped them in plastic and let them rest in the fridge for 1hr

After they rested in the fridge I sliced them and baked them 

 Here is a really nice chocolate chip cookie recipe I found in the paper.  It's titled the Ultimate Chocolate chip Cookie.  You can add in the festive ingredients to make them more christmassy if you like

3 2/3 cups Flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder and salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips ( white chocolate, pecans, cranberries I added about 1/2 cup of each to my cookies)
sea salt

• in a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and table salt
• in a large bowl (or stand mixer) beat butter and two sugars for 3 mins
• add eggs, one at a time 
• add vanilla and beat for 5 mins until light and fluffy
• add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined
• fold in your chocolate ( and any other add ins)
• refrigerate for 24-36 hrs
• Roll dough into generous 2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets
• flatten tops gently and sprinkle with sea salt
• bake at 350 for 17-19 minutes
• store in an airtight container

makes 16-18 cookies

Happy baking!

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