Scratch n' Win - aka Blog Candy

  Good morning!!

The next couple days are going to be super busy...& there's no better time for Scratch n' Win!!

I have my Holiday Class tomorrow among other things (like putting up my Christmas tree). in other words  I'm going to focus on my "To do List".

I will draw a winner Thursday night around 10pm.  Here's the tricky part :) To enter this drawing....I'd like for you to submit a recipe.  What's your favorite recipe you make during the holidays?  Mine would have to be my Christmas Bell cookies (or little pecan pies).

 I know...are you scratching your heads....why am I asking this?  Sorry!!  I love Christmas baking.....and every year I bake for everyone....some years I bake a whole variety of items and make the cutest cookies plates...I could show you pictures of those if you'd like :)))) And years that I'm running behind I make one cookie....usually the Christmas Bells...the recipe makes 5 dozen. Have I told you about the year that Fluffy jumped on the kitchen table and knocked 15 dozen cookies on the floor (yes, I cried..... that year everyone got fewer cookies)?

So, long story short....what baked goody do you like to give each year?  If you don't bake for the holidays....hmmm....how about posting your favorite recipe.   I can't wait to read all the recipes!!

Have a great day & Good luck!!

p.s.  If you have trouble submitting a recipe, email it to me and I'll post it for you.

Christmas Bell Cookies

2/3 cup butter (softened, non salted)

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour (all purpose)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

30 maraschino cherries, halved

Beat butter in large mixing bowl until creamy.  Add sugar and beat well.  Add egg, orange peel & vanilla. Beat until well blended.  Combine four & baking powder; gradually add butter to mixture.  Beat until well blended.  Cover & chill for 30 minutes (not much longer than that or dough will be too hard to roll out).  Shape dough into 2 rolls.  Wrap rolls with Saran Wrap and chill for 8 hours.  Cut rolls into 1/4 inch slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Place one cherry half on top of each cookie.  Bake @ 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.  Let cool on wire rack...store in shirt boxes between tissue paper.  Makes 5 dozen.

 

Comments

[LeAnne]

My favorite cookie is one my best friend's mom shared with me... Italian White Cookies

1 c melted crisco, cooled
1 c sugar
3 eggs
3 c flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all together and refridgerate for approx. 30 minutes. Roll into balls. Bake at 350 until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned.

Frost with butter cream frosting.
2 sticks butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 c powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk

[Heather]

Hello Angie :)
These are one of my fabourite treats at Christmas (but can amend to suit) not baking as such but a yummy sweet treat!!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
SANTA'S BALLS... (Can be called Weet-Bix Balls)

8 Weet-Bix, crushed (Wheat bricks for breakfast cereal)
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup chopped apricots or if you dont like both 1 cup of desired fruit
1/2 cup coconut
2 tablespoons cocoa
395g can sweetened condensed milk

Covering
extra coconut (can also use sprinkles- chocolate or rainbow)

1. Place all ingredients, except extra coconut (covering) in a large bowl. Mix well.
2. Form mixture into 30 balls (approx) and toss in desired covering
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I have added amendments incase you want to use them for a birthday party or something different. I LOVE these!! Remember not to tell the kids they are a good source of fibre too!!

Are sticky to make but we have to make sacrifices on occasion huh!!

Have a lovely day!

[Deeleane]

Angie,
I love looking at your blog each day. You are so creative and nice to share with everyone.

Here's my favorite recipe for the holidays (I am not sure this qualifies as a recipe, but I always make these at Christmas)
Buy Pillsbury slice and bake Peanut Butter Cookie dough. Cut each slice into thirds. Roll into a ball and put in a mini muffin pan. Bake according to package directions. As soon as the mini muffins are done, place an unwrapped Hershey Kiss into the center. The Kiss melts ever so slightly and it doesn't get much better that chocolate and peanut butter!

Thanks for the chance to win.

Happy Holidays

[Rachelle]

I would love to see your cookie plates. I always have intentions of doing that, but usually only have time to make about 2 different kinds.
My absolute fav is Chocolate Mint cookies. They are a bit time consuming, but oh so yummy!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup margarine 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons water 2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar 2 1/2 cups flour
(firmly packed)
12 oz chocolate chips 1/2 teaspoon salt
80 Andes mints (or equivalent)
directions:
heat marg., sugar & water in large pan over low heat until marg. is melted. add choc. chips & cook stirring until partially melted. Remove from heat & continue stirring until choc. is completely melted. Pour in large bowl & let stand 10 minutes. With mixer at medium speed beat in eggs 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low & add dry ingredients, beating until just blended. Refridgerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with tin foil. Roll teaspoon of dough into balls & place 2" apart on cookie sheets. Bake 10-11 min. Remove from oven & immediately place a mint on each cookie - let melt & then swirl to frost cookie. Transfer to wire racks & cool completely. makes 80 cookies.
* I can't wait to see all the good recipies. :)

[Jennifer]

Hi Angie,

I usually make these cookies called Sugar Crinkles. They are sugar cookies with Lemon Extract. Very light and refreshing for the Holidays and super easy! Here's the recipe:

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar

Beat shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and flavorings, beating until blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to shortening mixture, beating well. Cover and chill dough.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll in 1/4 cup sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes or until barely golden. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Yeild: about 5 1/2 dozen.

Recipe courtesy of Southern Living.

[Angie]

Angie, here is my secret recipe for Rum Butter Balls which I HAVE to make every year or my family would mutiny! The recipe is from my mother-in-law...but I make them better! Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

Rum Butter Balls

1-3/4 cup cake & pastry flour
¾ cup chopped pecans
6 oz. chocolate chips
¾ cup butter
¼ tsp salt
½ cup icing sugar
3 tsp rum (or 1 tsp rum extract + 2 tsp water)

Combine flour, pecans and chocolate chips
Cream butter. Add salt, sugar & rum
Add dry ingredients. Mix.
Roll into walnut size balls
Bake on ungreased pan, 20 minutes at 325 degrees Farenheit. Don't over-bake!!
Cool a bit & roll in icing sugar while warm. Put on waxed paper.

[Jennifer]

My FAVORITE Christmas recipe is:

Triple Chocolate Peanut Clusters

2 (12 ounce) packages chocolate chips (I prefer milk choc, but you can use semi-sweet or dark)

2 (12 ounce) packages white chocolate chips

4 ounces German chocolate

32 ounces dry roasted peanuts

Place all ingredients into your crock-pot. Stir. Cover. Turn on low. Let melt for and 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours (depending on how hot your crock-pot gets).

Stir all ingredients together. Place by teaspoonful onto waxed paper and let cool. After the clusters have cooled, store in an air-tight container.

Makes 4 dozen

[Rachelle]

*I'll try this one more time-I didn't post last time, but I think it is because you edited the post as I was commenting?!
I would love to see your cookie plates. :)
My fav Christmas cookie is Chocolate Mint Cookies
A bit time consuming, but oh so yummy.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup margarine or butter
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
80 Andes mints (or similar green/ chocolate mint wafers)

Directions:
heat marg., sugar & water in large pan over low heat until marg. is melted. Add choc. chips & cook, stirring until partially melted. Remove from heat & continue stirring until choc. is completely melted. Pour into large bowl & let stand 10 min. With mixer at med. speed, beat in eggs 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low & add dry ingredients, beating until just blended. Refridgerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350*. Line 2 cookie sheets with tin foil. Roll teaspoon of dough into balls & place 2" apart on cookie sheets. Bake 10-11 min. Remove from oven and immediately place a mint on each cookie- let melt and swirl to frost cookie. Transfer to wire racks & cool completely. Makes 80 cookies.

[Becky]

I make this recipe and take it to friends the night BEFORE Thanksgiving or on Christmas Eve night. Best if made about 8 hours before you are going to eat it.
~OVERNIGHT BUBBLE BREAD~
18 frozen dinner rolls
1/2 package instant Butterscotch pudding(dry)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
water
1 cup pecans
Spray cooking spray into 9x13 dish. Sprinkle in pecans, then place frozen rolls on nuts. Shake the pudding mix all over the tops of rolls and between rows. In a sauce pan, heat sugar and butter until disolved. Add about 2 tsp. water to sugar mixture. Pour over rolls. Cover with alum foil and place in oven OVERNIGHT---don't check it, just leave it.
In the morning, leave rolls in oven and put the temp on 350. Bake for about 22-25 mins until tops are golden. I turn mine out onto a platter so the sticky side is up.
This is by far, the easiest sticky bun recipe I have ever made. It is also very easy to double, keep one and give one!

[Becky]

I make this recipe and take it to friends the night BEFORE Thanksgiving or on Christmas Eve night. Best if made about 8 hours before you are going to eat it.
~OVERNIGHT BUBBLE BREAD~
18 frozen dinner rolls
1/2 package instant Butterscotch pudding(dry)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
water
1 cup pecans
Spray cooking spray into 9x13 dish. Sprinkle in pecans, then place frozen rolls on nuts. Shake the pudding mix all over the tops of rolls and between rows. In a sauce pan, heat sugar and butter until disolved. Add about 2 tsp. water to sugar mixture. Pour over rolls. Cover with alum foil and place in oven OVERNIGHT---don't check it, just leave it.
In the morning, leave rolls in oven and put the temp on 350. Bake for about 22-25 mins until tops are golden. I turn mine out onto a platter so the sticky side is up.
This is by far, the easiest sticky bun recipe I have ever made. It is also very easy to double, keep one and give one!

[kat]

mine is Meringue cookies - so easy and BIG crowd pleaser!

2 eggs @ room temp
dash of salt and cream of tartar

beat these together into stiff peaks.

fold in, with small spatula, diced walnuts and mini choc chips.

drop on paper towel (don't use parchment) covered cookie sheets.

bake at 300 for 20-25 mins
so light and fluffy and oh so good.

[Crystal]

Snowball Cake
(makes a very moist cake)

1 box yellow cake mix
16 oz. sour cream
12 oz/ cool whip
2 cups sugar
12 oz. sweetened coconut
Make cake according to the directions on box and let cool. **Bake two layers, after they have cooled split the layer to make 4 layers***
Mix sour cream, sugar and coconut and mix well. ***RESERVE 1 cup of the coconut mixture for the frosting.
Spread the remaining coconut mixture (minus the 1 cup) between each layer.
Now, add the reserved coconut mixture to the cool whip and frost the entire cake.
Its better to do this a day ahead and let it rest in the fridge. The cake will actually start to slope on the sides and look more like a snowball.
Please refrigerate any remaining cake, if there is any after serving.

[Carla]

Chocolate Kiss Peanut Butter cookies
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c skippy peanut butter
2 c Bisquick baking mix
1 tsp vanilla
sugar
mini chocolate kisses

Heat oven to 375. Mix milk and peanut butter until smooth, stir in baking mix and vanilla. Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, roll in sugar. place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 min then immediately press chocolate kiss into top of each cookie. Sooooo good and easy!!
Carla

[Kelli]

One of my most requested items is Tiger Butter.

1 lb white chocolate
3/4 cup peanut butter
1-2 oz. dark chocolate
I melt the white choc. and pb in the microwave. Smooth out onto wax paper or greased foil. Melt dark choc. in microwave and drizzle on white choc. Using a butter knife, drag it through the lines of dark choc. to make swirls and stripes. Let cool and harden in refrigerator. Break into chunks. Can be frozen.

[Tanis]

Ohhhhh....this should be a good recipe collection =)

We host an annual cookie exchange and the big hit last year was requested again this year....Peanut Butter Cup Cookies - not really Christmas-y, but they're tasty!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
10 chocolate covered peanut butter cups, cut
into eighths (we just cut a bag of minis in half)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter cups. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. (don't try to skimp & make smaller cookies - there needs to be a lot of dough so the chips & pb cups don't end up as a heap of melted chocolate everywhere when you try to remove them from the pan (experience)
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool for 1 or 2 minutes on sheet before removing, or they will fall apart.

[Kimberly G]

A quick and easy favorite of mine is called "Ant Sticks." Basically you take pretzel rods (can be large or small) and dip the rod about 3/4 of the way up in chocolate, then decorate. I melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, dip the pretzel rod in the chocolate, let the extra chocolate drip off and then roll in a variety of decorative treats. I have used holiday colored sprinkles, pieces of peppermint candies, almond bits, etc. You can also take melted white chocolate and stripe the milk chocolate. Place the dipped rods on waxed paper and refridgerate to firm up. I give these as gifts and they are always a favorite!

[Trinka King]

Craker Candy is one of our favorites
Saltine Crakers
1c. packed brown sugar
1c. real butter
1 12 oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips
1 small bag chopped almonds
Line cookie sheet with foil to cover. Brush foil with cooking oil. Arrange saltine crackers over the foil to cover the whole area. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a non stick pan add brown sugar and butter and bring to a boil.Boil uncovered for 3 minutes. Remove and pour over crackers:bake for5 minutes. Take out of oven and pour chocolate chips over brown sugarmixture:let melt then spreadevenlyover mixture.Sprinkle almonds on top, then put in refrigerator till firm. Remove from foil and break into pieces.

[JeanAnn]

Okay, Angie, here is my all time favorite holiday cookie recipe.

SNOWBALLS

1 C. Butter (not salted)
2 C. Sifted Flour
1/2 c. Sugar
1 pkg (5 3/4oz) Hershey's Kisses
1 tsp Vanilla

Beat butter, sugar & vanilla until fluffy. Add flour a little at a time and blend well. Cover and chill dough at least 4-5 hours.

Shape dough around kisses using about 1 tsp of dough for each kiss. Roll into a ball. Be sure to cover kiss completely. Bake at 375 on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 minutes or until set, but not brown. Cool slightly and roll in powder sugar. Store in air tight container.
Makes about 3 dozen.

I like to re-roll in powder sugar just before serving.

Enjoy and just try to keep them around long enough to give as gifts.

[Alice Roushia]

My favorite recipe that I make religously every Christmas is homemade chex mix, and I make alot! I usually make 2 to 4 batches.

1 Batch

1/2 bag each of rice, corn, and wheat chex cereal
1/2 bag of Christmas pretzels
1/2 bag of Bugels
1/2 can of mixed nuts (lg. can from Sam's Club)
1 to 1 1/2 sticks of margerine
Lea and Perrins' W. Sauce
Lawry's seasoning
Galic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250*
Melt margerine in lg. turkey roaster
Add Lea and Perrins', Lawry's, and Garlic powder to your taste--I LOVE alot of Garlic powder!
Pour in chex mixes, bugels, pretzels, and nuts
Mix altogether and bake for 15 min. After 15 min. stir and bake another 15 min. until you have baked for 1 hr. total.

Eat and Enjoy!

[sandy dixon]

Angie, I love everything you post. Thanks for opportunity to win blog candy! We have pecan trees everywhere here in Illinois so my husband picks them up and cracks them and shells them out while watching TV at night so I bake lot of pecan pies.

Pecan Pie

1/2 cup sugar
2 tbs margarine
2eggs
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup white syrup
1 cup pecans
1 9 in pastry shell(unbaked)
Preheat oven 350, in mixing bowl cream sugar and margarine. Add eggs and beat well. Add flour, salt, vanilla, and almond extract; mix well. Stir in syrup and pecans. Pour into 9 inch unbaked pie shell. Bake 40-45 minutes. Enjoy!

[Stephanie]

My favorite easy cookies are:
Double chocolate brownie cookies

1 box chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts(opt.)

preheat oven 350, mix all ingredients drop by tablespoon, bake on parchment lined cookie shett for 12 minutes. Makes 48 yum!
enjoy!
S. Ray

[Sue Worth]

This is not for cookies but a great take-a-long to a family or friends gathering.

Take a loaf of frozen bread dough and thaw it out. Spread it in a shallow rectangle pan.

Score it into 3 sections and put jam, preserves or a mix of brown sugar, raisins, walnuts/pecans down the centre section. A little knob of butter, here and there, should be daubed on top of the centre.

Cut the 2 side sections in strips, as wide or narrow as you like. Begin folding the strips, alternately, over the centre part (braid.)

Once this is all folded, turn the 'roll' into a circle and use kitchen scissors to cut sections, on an angle and about 3/4s through, from the outside to the centre of the circle.

Twist each cut section into a flat 'bun' to form a spiral with the filling showing.

Bake as per directions on the bread dough. Looks lovely with a sprig of greenery in the centre or a pretty candle.

[StampinCathy]

Lovin this Scratch n' Win!!
Ok my family loves Molasses cookies, so I try to make some for the holidays.
Here is the info:
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup margarine, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup white sugar

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted margarine, 1 cup sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.

They are pretty easy and really good.

Thanks so much for a chance and can't wait to read other recipes.

[Tammy M]

Here is a yummy one:

Cocoa Crinkle Sandwiches

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 can (16 oz.) chocolate or favorite frosting
1/2 cup crushed candy canes*

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.

Melt butter in large saucepan over med. heat; cool slightly. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar; whisk until smooth. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended. Stir in vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Wrap dough in a plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar in shallow bowl; roll balls in sugar. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake 12 minutes or until cookies feel set to the touch. Let cookies stand on cookie sheets 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Stir frosting until soft and smooth. Place crushed candy canes on piece of waxed paper. Spread about 2 tsp. frosting over flat side of one cookie. Place second cookie, flat side down, over frosting, pressing down to allow frosting to squeeze out slightly between cookies. Press exposed frosting into crushed candy canes. Repeat with remaining cookies. Store in airtight container.

*To crush candy canes, place candy in sealed heavy-duty plastic food storage bag. Break into pieces with heavy object(such as meat mallet or can of vegetables); crush pieces with rolling pin.

Makes about 20 sandwich cookies
(about 40 unfilled cookies)

[pat_lyn]

My favorite cookie recipe is Cakemix Cookies. It can be modified for any occasion because you can use any two cake flavors you desire. During the holidays, I like to use cherry or strawberry cake mix and white with white chocolate chips.

Recipe
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix (or any other flavor)
1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix (or any other flavor)

Place each cake mix into a different bowl and mix in the following ingredients.

1/3 cup water (into each bowl)
1/3 cup oil (into each bowl)
1 egg (into each bowl)

Mix each cake mix and ingrediants well.
Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips to chocolate cake mix and then add the Yellow cake mixture to the chocolate cake mixture. Stir just enough to mix and still have large swrills of yellow and chocolate. Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake for 10 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees.