It’s a blizzard out there! Seriously. A genuine, meteorologically categorized blizzard. Schools are closed, major highways are shut down, and frankly, I’m surprised that we still have power.
It’s my first official blizzard and I don’t know who’s more excited about staying home all day, Mommy or the kid. The National Weather Service warned about the impending 18 inches of snow and 50 mph winds, so I prepared. I stocked up on all the essentials needed to turn today’s blizzard into a Christmas cookie-baking marathon.
Here are just a couple of the holiday treats my daughter and I will be whipping up today:
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Ingredients:
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 bag (13 ounces) Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, crushed
Directions:
Beat peanut butter and butter at medium speed until well blended. Beat in sugar. Add egg and vanilla, beating until well blended.
Add flour, baking powder and baking soda; mix at low speed until just combined. Stir in peanut butter cups.
Cover and refrigerate for about an hour or until firm.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Shape cookies about 2 inches round and 1/2-inch thick.
Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
NUTTY BUTTER COOKIES
Ingredients:
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar, separated
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar for topping
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toast hazelnuts in oven until lightly browned and fragrant.
Remove from oven, cool slightly then wrap still warm nuts in dishtowel and roll until most of the brown skins are removed.
Lower oven to 300 degrees.
Cool nuts completely before moving on to next step.
Grind nuts with 1/3 of granulated sugar in the food processor until the consistency of coarse cornmeal.
Cream butter and 2/3 of sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix in ground nuts, flour and salt just to combine.
Divide dough and roll into 1-inch balls.
Bake for 15 minutes at 300 degrees.
Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar.
Makes about 24 cookies.
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