This time of year is the perfect excuse for excessive eating. And we’ve got a few delicious (and maybe a little unhealthy) holiday treats to share with you.
Sugar Cookie Truffles
Baking Christmas shaped sugar cookies and decorating them with different colored icing was always fun as a kid, mostly because of how messy it could get. But if you are looking for a tidier alternative, try these sugar cookie truffles.
Ingredients:
- One batch of already baked sugar cookies (for this recipe we will use 12)
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups white chocolate, melted
- Green and red sprinkles for decoration
Instructions:
- Use a food processor to turn the cookies into crumbs. Add cream cheese and process again until well blended and the mixture can be pressed into a ball.
- Shape mixture into 1 to 1 ½ inch balls. Place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and put in freezer for 15 minutes.
- Melt white chocolate according to instructions in a medium sized bowl.
- Remove the balls from the freezer. Using forks or spoons, coat the balls individually in the white chocolate and replace on cookie sheet. Immediately add sprinkles.
Christmas Popcorn
Looking for something both salty and sweet? Look no further than this festive popcorn treat.
Ingredients:
- 10 cups popped popcorn
- salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- Red and green mini M&Ms and/or pretzel M&Ms
Instructions:
- Spread popcorn out on prepared cookie sheet, making sure to remove all the unpopped kernels. Add desired amount of salt.
- In medium sauce pan, melt butter. Once the butter has melted completely, add the mini marshmallows, stirring until melted. Immediately turn off heat once it is all melted.
- Pour mixture over the popcorn and gently fold the popcorn with a spoon until it is all covered.
- While the marshmallow mixture is still hot and sticky, add the M&Ms. You can also add sprinkles and more mini marshmallows if you prefer. Let the popcorn cool before serving.
Gingerbread Cookies
One of the most classic Christmas cookies is gingerbread.
Ingredients:
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup shortening, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, closes, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In medium bowl, mix together shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until absorbed.
- Divide dough into 3 pieces, pat down to 1 ½ thickness, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. (I like using parchment paper on cookie sheets for all my baking because the cookies don’t stick to it, and it slides right off the sheet when done.)
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies are done when they look dry, but are still soft to touch. Place cookies on wire rack to cool. Once cooled, decorate with frosting.