On the Tenth Day of Cookies...

Peanut Butter Balls are a perfect example of how something that tastes great can also be easy to make. They taste just like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and my mouth waters just thinking about them.

Peanut Butter Balls
(Source: Joy of Baking)

Peanut Butter Balls:
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 - 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Chocolate Coating:
9 ounces semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used milk chocolate)
2 tablespoons shortening

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and salt in a microwaveable bowl, and heat in the microwave for about one minute or until just soft (check and stir the ingredients every 20 seconds). Stir in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and mix until it has the consistency of a dough (add more sugar if necessary).

3. Roll the dough into 1 inch round balls. Place on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm.

4. Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with two spoons or a dipping fork, remove the peanut butter ball from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.

5. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. To serve: place in small fluted candy cups.

On the Ninth Day of Cookies...

My husband loved these cookies (he ate like five of them fresh out of the oven), but I was a little disappointed in how they turned out. They were very crispy around the edges and very, very flat (thin). But I guess appearances aren't everything because they do taste very good and the mint flavor of the Mint Chocolate M&Ms is quite noticeable.

Minty M&M Cookies
(Adapted from Joy of Baking)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup Mint Chocolate M&M's

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and egg yolk, beating until well combined. Beat in the vanilla extract.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5. Form dough into balls. Gently flatten each ball of dough. Completely cover the tops of the cookies with the M&M's. Gently press the candies into the dough. Bake the cookies for 7-10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when they are light golden brown in color and just set. They will still seem a little soft but they will firm up as they cool. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

On the Eighth Day of Cookies...

My mother-in-law makes batches of these every year, and this has become one of my favorite holiday treats. This holiday candy is very easy to make, but does take some time. Well worth it for this delicious candy coated sweet and salty pretzel. I definitely think I need to invest in some proper tools for this as most of my pretzels were blobish (but still delicious!).

Almond Bark Pretzels
1 pound white dipping chocolate or almond bark
1 small bag pretzels
Colored Candy Sprinkles

1. Microwave almond bark on high, stirring every minute or so until completely melted (usually 2-3 minutes).

2. Drop a pretzel into melted almond bark. Use a fondue fork to fully submerge and swirl the pretzel to cover all surfaces. Lift the pretzel out with the fondue fork. With the pretzel still on the fork tap the fork against the top of the bowl to shake off the excess coating.

3. Place the coated pretzel on the wax paper. Decorate with color sugar or sprinkles. Allow to cool.

4. Store the finished pretzels in Ziploc bags or other air tight container.

On the Seventh Day of Cookies...

These cookie tartlets are quick and easy and very tasty. The crushed candy canes give it an extra crunch and a boost of flavor reminiscent of Christmas.

Peppermint Bark Cookie Tartlets
(Source: Nestle Toll House)

1 package Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough, slightly softened
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup finely crushed candy canes

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Combine cookie dough and flour in large mixing bowl. Divide dough into 24, 1 1/4-inch balls. Press dough into mini-muffin cups.

3. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around edges and puffy.

4. Remove tartlets from oven and immediately fill with morsels and crushed candy canes. Cool for 10 minutes in muffin cups. Carefully remove to wire rack, do not invert; cool completely.

On the Sixth Day of Cookies...

The recipe is adapted from Jenny's Festive Candy Cane Kiss Centered Brownie Bites. I wanted to make the original recipe, but Target was out of Peppermint Hershey's Kisses and I really didn't want to drive all over the city looking for them. I had grand ambitions of dipping the tops in chocolate and sprinkling them with cut up Mint Truffle Hershey's Kisses but, well, I decided they were good enough as is.

Mint Truffle Brownie Bites
(Adapted from Picky Palate)

1 brownie mix 9×13 inch size
24 Mint Truffle Hershey's Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and scoop into a mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin tin pan that has been generously sprayed with cooking spray, about 3/4 way full.

3. Press kisses into center of brownie batter, do not push all the way to bottom, some of the tip should stick out the top.

4. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until brownies are cooked through. Let cool completely.

On the Fifth Day of Cookies...

Another classic cookie recipe that just cannot be left out. Trees, poinsettias, wreaths, and ribbon have been a part of my holiday season for as long as I can remember. Be sure to watch these cookies very carefully while baking as they can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. The cookies should be removed from the oven as soon as the edges begin to turn a little brown.

Spritz Cookies
(Source: An old family recipe)

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

1. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla.

2. Add eggs and beat well.

3. Sift flour and salt together; add in three additions, mixing well after each addition.

4. Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 400°F for 7-8 minutes or until just starting to turn golden brown around the edges, being careful not to over bake.

On the Fourth Day of Cookies...

By now, most of you know that peanut butter and chocolate are near and dear to my heart, so it should be no surprise that this is one of my favorite cookies. No holiday is complete without this great, easy cookie recipe.

Peanut Butter Blossoms
(Source: Hersheys.com)

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Granulated Sugar
Hershey's Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 375°degrees. Unwrap Hershey's kisses.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter until well-blended. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a peanut butter cup into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen.

On the Third Day of Cookies...

Bite-sized bliss! These cake ball bon bons are a snap to make and are sure to be an instant hit on any dessert tray. To make mine more festive, I used red velevet cake with white frosting and vanilla candy coating. I also used way more candy coating than they suggested.

Holiday Cake Bon Bons
(Source: Betty Crocker)

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist cake mix, (any flavor)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy frosting
3 oz. vanilla or chocolate-flavored candy coating

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour. Prepare cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Pour into pan. Bake 30-33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.

2. In a large mixing bowl, crumble the warm cake; stir in the frosting until well blended. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

3. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Shape into balls. (If mixture is too sticky, refrigerate until firm enough to shape.) Freeze 30 minutes.

4. In small microwave-safe bowl, microwave candy coating on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until smooth. Dip the balls, one at a time, in candy coating using a wooden skewer or fork to hold them. Place on aluminum foil-covered cookie sheet. Decorate as desired. Refrigerate cake balls about 10 minutes or until coating is set. Serve at room temperature. Store in airtight container.

On the Second Day of Cookies...

If you are unfamiliar with these cookies, they are of German origin, very spicy, with molasses and black pepper in them. The translation of Pfeffernussen is “pepper nuts”, although my recipe doesn’t call for nuts I understand that some do. The snowy sugar surface of Pfeffernussen contrasts nicely with the spicy, sweet, soft, crisp crust of the cookie. A perfect addition to your holiday spread.

Pfeffernussen
(Source: Martha Stewart)

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners' sugar in a brown paper bag.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Place butter, brown sugar, and molasses in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off dough in tablespoon amounts; roll into 1 1/4-inch balls. Arrange balls 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Dough can be frozen at this point, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month.)

4. Bake until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Working in batches, place cookies in paper bag; shake until well coated. Let cool completely on wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

On the First Day of Cookies...

Okay, not technically a cookie, but a yummy holiday treat, no? This recipe was easy and I'm sure quite tasty, but I wouldn't know. "Why?" you ask. I hate cream cheese (weird, right?). The stuff makes me gag if I try to eat it (same reaction I have with mashed potatoes, but that's a whole other story) and, while I was beating the cream cheese for these truffles, the smell alone made me queasy. BUT, if you are normal, I am sure you will love these!

Truffles
(Source: Kraft Foods)

2 1/2 pkg BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate (20 squares), divided
1 pkg (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1. Melt 8 chocolate squares. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.

2. Shape into 36 balls. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet.

3. Melt remaining chocolate. Use fork to dip truffles in chocolate; return to baking sheet. Decorate, then refrigerate 1 hour.