"THE COOKIE JAR"

Over the years, two things have always made me feel like I had at least accomplished something at the end of a crazy day.
One is an empty laundry basket, with all of the neatly folded, clean clothes put away in their homes.
And the other is a cookie jar full of freshly baked cookies.
We can't help you with your laundry, but you might find a new recipe or two here to take care of that cookie jar.
This is a collection of our favourite holiday and special occasion cookies.
Help yourself. You can have as many as you like.

ORANGE WALNUT SHORTBREAD
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. grated orange
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. orange juice
Orange Glaze

Mix flour, sugar, salt and peel. Cut in butter until very crumbly.
Mix in 3/4 cup of the nuts and the orange juice.
Press into a 7"X11" greased pan and bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool slightly.
Top with glaze and the rest of the chopped nuts.
Glaze: 1/2 cup icing sugar, 1/2 tsp. grated orange, 2 tbsp. orange juice

CHOCOLATE ALMOND SHORTBREAD
1 1/4 cups icing sugar
3/4 cup butter
6 sqs. semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup ground almonds
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
2 sqs. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Mix well.
Add flour, ground almonds, and salt. Press into a 12"X9"rectangle on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips and almonds. Bake at 250 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Cool on the pan on a wire rack. Drizzle with chocolate. Chill and cut.

COFFEE TOFFEE SHORTBREAD
1 cup butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. strong coffee
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolk and extracts.
Stir in flour. Pat into a greased 8"X12" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with the chocolate chips and spread smooth
Top with the chopped nuts. Cut while still warm, and cool in pan.

FINNISH SHORTBREAD
2 cups butter
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1/8 tsp. salt
chopped almonds
sugar

Cream butter and 1 cup sugar thoroughly. Add the flour and salt.
Shape dough into long slender rolls, about 1" in diameter. Wrap rolls tightly in wax paper and chill thoroughly.
Cut dough into 1/2 " slices. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Press each circle down in the center with your thumb.
Sprinkle with almonds, then with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes. Cookies should not brown.

FUDGE TARTS
Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter
3-4 tbsp. beaten egg

Sift dry ingredients and cut in butter to the size of small peas.
Stir in egg. Roll 1/8" thick. Cut 3" rounds and fit into tiny tart pans.

Filling:
1 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. butter
1 beaten egg
pecan halves

Mix all of the ingredients except egg and nuts in double boiler
and cook over low heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Remove from heat and blend in egg. Place a scant tablespoon in each shell and top with a pecan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES
1 cup butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts

Gradually add icing sugar to the butter, creaming thoroughly.
Add flavouring. Stir in flour, salt and nuts. Blend well.
Chill if convenient. Shape into 1" balls. Bake on greased sheets at 350 degrees about 15 minutes,
until just lightly browned. Roll in icing sugar while warm and again when cool.

CHOCOLATE CHEWS
1 6oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Melt chips. Beat butter and 1 cup sugar until creamy.
Beat in the eggs and chocolate. Mix dry ingredients and blend in.
Shape into 1" balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes until the tops appear dry.

NUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cups finely chopped nuts
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup jam
Viennese Chocolate Frosting

Sift together flour and sugar. Add nuts and mix well.
Blend in butter until dough holds together. Dough will be crumbly.
Chill until easy to handle. Roll dough 1/8" thick. Cut into 2" circles.
Bake on ungreased sheet at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand 1-2 minutes before removing from sheet. Cool.
Put together with jam and spread with frosting.
Cream together 2 tbsp. butter and 1/3 cup icing sugar until light and creamy.
Blend in 1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled.

POTPOURRI COOKIES
1 6oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 10oz. pkg. marshmallows
4 cups rice krispies
2 cups peanuts
2 cups raisins
2 cups broken pretzel sticks

Melt chocolate chips, butter and marshmallows in top of double boiler.
Stir to blend. Pour over remaining ingredients and stir to coat.
Drop into clusters and chill.

VANILLA HORNS
1 cup softened butter
2/3 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup ground almonds
2 cups flour

Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla in medium-sized bowl until well mixed.
Beat in almonds. Stir in flour until well blended. Shape into ball.
Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Lightly grease cookie sheet. Using level tablespoon of dough for each cookie, roll between palms
to form a cylinder about 3" long. Shape into horseshoes.
Place on prepared cookie sheet, leaving 1 1/2" between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Remove to wire rack. Before serving, dust cookies heavily with icing sugar,
and stripe with melted semi-sweet chocolate.

CHOCOLATE FILLED BON-BONS
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
36 chocolate kisses
36 pecan halves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and egg
in large bowl at medium speed. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in creamed mixture.
Press two level teaspoonfuls of dough around each kiss, covering kiss completely.
Place pecan half on top of each. Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 6-7 minutes.
Cookies will not brown. Do not overbake.
Gently press pecans into hot cookies. Cool on sheet for 1 minute.

COCOA COOKIE CUT-OUTS
1 1/3 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well.
Add dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Chill dough.
Roll 1/8" thick and cut into shapes. Bake on greased sheets at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

RASPBERRY PINWHEELS
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Blend well. Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla.
Mix dry ingredients with the creamed mixture. Roll dough between waxed paper to a 12" x 9" rectangle.
Combine jam, coconut and nuts. Spread over dough to 1/2" from edge.
Roll up tightly. Seal edge. Wrap and chill overnight. Cut into 1/4" slices.
Bake on greased sheets at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

MARVELOUS MACAROONS
2 2/3 cups coconut
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup chopped almonds

Mix coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg whites and almond extract.
Stir in almonds. Mix well. Drop on greased sheet. Garnish with cherry halves if desired.
Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove immediately.

CREAM CHEESE THUMBPRINT COOKIES
3/4 cup butter
1 3oz. package cream cheese
2 cups flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
jam or jelly

Cream together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Stir in dry ingredients.
Roll out 1/2" thick. Cut into squares or circles. Place about 1" apart on ungreased sheet.
Make a dent in the center and fill with jam. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

FAT TEDDIES
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 oz. melted semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Blend in egg, beating well.
Remove 1 cup to separate bowl, and blend in chocolate. Stir together 1 cup flour and 1/4 tsp. baking soda.
Add to chocolate. Add the rest to the plain dough. Keeping dough covered,
work small pieces into 1" balls for heads and bodies, pressing together.
Place 2" apart on greased sheet, pressing lightly to flatten. Add small bits for ears, arms and legs, pressing together.
Add raisins or contrasting dough for eyes, mouth, buttons and paws.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes
until firm and lightly browned. Cool on pan 5 minutes.

NUT WREATHS
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 cups ground walnuts
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk

Beat butter and sugar until blended. Beat on high until light and fluffy.
On low, add walnuts, flour, salt and yolk. Beat until blended.
Between waxed paper, roll 1/3 of the dough until 1/8" thick. Cut out rings.
Bake on ungreased sheet at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Using decorator's frosting, pipe a red bow on each wreath.
Pipe a green dot in center of each bow. Store tightly covered.

CANDY CANE CRISPS
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups icing sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup oats
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup crushed candy canes

Beat butter and 1 cup icing sugar until creamy. Beat in vanilla.
Mix in flour, oats and salt. Blend well. Add 1/4 cup candy.
Roll into 3/4" balls. Roll in remaining sugar. Flatten and sprinkle with candy.
Bake on greased and floured sheets at 325 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Cool on sheets 2-3 minutes.

ALMOND SUGAR COOKIES
1 cup butter
8 oz. almond paste
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 cups flour

Beat butter, paste and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg.
Gradually add flour, blending thoroughly. Roll and cut.
Bake on ungreased sheets at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.
Brush with glaze: beat 1 egg white until frothy: beat in 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar: tint.

FANCY CRESCENTS
2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cut butter into flour. Beat egg yolk and sour cream together with a spoon.
Add to flour mixture. Mix well. Chill covered for 4 hours.
Stir sugar and cinnamon together to use instead of flour for rolling dough.
Sprinkle some on working surface. Roll 1/3 dough into 10" circle, sprinkling with sugar on both sides as needed.
Cut into 16 pie-shaped wedges. Roll into crescents and bake on ungreased sheet at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Now, once the laundry's finished, you get to bake cookies!
Enjoy!

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