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Fun facts about Christmas cookie recipes

Tampa Bay Times tampabay.com *2012 HOLIDAY COOKIES Sugar and spice and things that are nice made their way into this year's reader-submitted and Times-tested cookie recipes. Which ones will you try? EVEN SANTA WILL BE IMPRESSED THESE BY Some of the most common cookies on the annual Since Christmas tray are: 2001 250 10,000 300 O Gingerbread men O Decorated sugar cookies O Powdered-sugar pecan balls, often called Mexican Wedding Cakes or Russian Tea Cakes. the Tampa Bay Times has published more than In that time, we've baked nearly cookie recipes in the food section's annual Christmas Cookie issue. st cookies, following at least German Lebkuchen, which is gingerbread, is probably the world's first cookie associated with Christmas. It is from Germany, where many holiday traditions started. Americans recipes. eat about 75 pounds of sugar each annually. No figures available but it's'likely sugar consumption spikes in December. The popular sugar cookie is called Nazareth sugar cookies by the Amish. It was created by the Moravians, who came to Pennsylvania from the Nazareth area of Germany. The sugar cookie, probably without sprinkles, is Pennsylania's state cookie. and Florida's state flower The most difficult ingredient to find at the grocery store? Candied cherries in August when the bakers at the Tampa Bay Times start testing Christmas cookie recipes. is the orange blossom and the state beverage is orange juice. There is no official state cookie, but if there was, it would have to include lots of orange zest and juice. Maybe a close second would be a sweet nibble with the pucker power of key lime. O COOKIE O SAMPLER LAGE OATMEAL COOKIES 1 cup Quick Quaker Oats 1 cup sugar 2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg, well beaten 4 teaspoon baking powder Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Line cookie sheet with parchment. Drop dough by the teaspoonful on paper, about 2 inches apart. The dough will spread quite a bit as it bakes. Bake for about 7 minutes or until outer edges of cookies are brown. Cool completely and peel from waxed paper. Yield: 2 to 3 dozen, depending on size. Freezeworthy: Yes, but you might want to separate each completely cooled cookie with wax paper. They are very fine and could break if you have to peel them apart. Submitted by Cleo Ann Druzbick, Spring Hill HOLIDAY WALNUT BERRY BITES Nonstick cooking spray 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces 2'cup confectioners' sugar 4 teaspoon salt 1½ cups Karo light corn syrup 4 eggs 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped 1 cup walnuts, chopped 1 cup white chocolate chips Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 12 1/2- by 17 1/2- by 1-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat flour, butter, confectioners' sugar and salt at medium speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly and evenly into pan. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. In a large bowl, beat Karo syrup, eggs, sugar and butter until well blended. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts. Spread mixture evenly over hot crust. Sprinkle white chocolate chips over the top. Return to oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Yield: 4 dozen. Freezeworthy: No. Submitted by Gilda Marchant, St. Petersburg TUMBLEWEEDS 1 (12-ounce) can salted peanuts 1 (7-ounce) can potato sticks 3 cups butterscotch chips 3 tablespoons peanut butter Combine peanuts and potato sticks in a bowl. Microwave butterscotch chips and peanut butter at 70 percent power for 1 to 2 minutes until melted. Stir at 30-second intervals. Add to peanut-potato sticks mixture. Stir well to evenly coast. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Refrigerate until set, at least 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 4 2 dozen. Freezeworthy: No. Submitted by Vivian B. Rhiner, Brandon CHOCOLATE DIPPED PECAN GRESCENTS 1 cup pecan halves 2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 12 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour V4 teaspoon salt Semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled Finely chop pecans in processor with ¼ cup confectioners' sugar. Beat butter until creamy. Add ½ cup confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in nut mixture and vanilla, then flour and salt. Chill 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With floured hands, roll about 12 teaspoons dough into 3-inch ropes; shape into crescents. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned on bottoms and edges. Transfer to wire racks and sift remaining confectioners' sugar onto a plate. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar over one end of warm cookies and then carefully, using a pastry brush, paint the other end with the melted chocolate. Place on waxed paper to set. Yield: About 3 dozen. Freezeworthy: Yes, but cool completely first. Submitted by Cleo Ann Druzbick, Spring Hill ORANGE GUMDROP BARS 3 eggs 1 tablespoon water 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup orange gumdrops or orange-slice candy, cut up (see note) 3 ½ ounces flaked coconut 1 cup broken nuts, toasted 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour Beat eggs with water until foamy. Gradually add sugar and salt; beat until fluffy. Thoroughly mix gumdrops, nuts, coconut and flour; stir into egg mixture. Spread in a greased 9- by 13-inch pan. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 25 minutes. Let cool to firm, then cut into squares. Times testing note: If you use orange slices, you'll only need about 6 or 7. To cut easily, spritz your knife with a nonstick spray. Yield: 26 to 30 bars, depending on how you cut them. Freezeworthy: No. Submitted by Gayle Hackbarth, Summerfield Visit TampaBay.com/cookies for all 24 of this year's holiday cookie recipes Tampa Bay Times Top illustration: Stefano Vitale for the Times Graphic: Janet K. Keeler, Lee Glynn | Times tampabay.com

Fun facts about Christmas cookie recipes

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Now in its 11th year, the Tampa Bay Times Annual Christmas Cookie Issue prompted us to stop and reflect on just how many easy Christmas cookie recipes we have received over the years. This year alone,...

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TampaBay.com

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Lee Glynn

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