Holiday Cookie Box

In a small bowl mix together oil, sugar and egg. Beat until fluffy. Stir in molasses. Set aside.
In large bowl sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll dough into 1 1/2 – 2 inch size balls depending on how big you want your ice cream sandwiches. Roll the ball into a small bowl of granulated sugar. Place balls on parchment lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart. (cookies will spread so definitely space them out) Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set and tops are crackled. Cool on baking sheet for 1 minute then transfer to wire racks to cool completely

Plantation Crunch

In a large bowl stir together Rice Krispies and dry roasted nuts.
Place white chocolate chips in a medium microwave safe bowl.
Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted.
Stir peanut butter into the melted chocolate until well combined.
Pour white chocolate mixture over Rice Krispies mixture and stir carefully until Rice Krispies are thoroughly coated.
Scoop mixture into individual cups and top with sprinkles or nonpareils or spread out on a wax paper lined baking sheet until dry. Then break into chunks.
Store in an airtight container.

Pecan Linzar Cookies (about 20-24 cookies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans on baking sheet and toast for 6 minutes until fragrant. Let cool then finely chop. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together flour and salt.
Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in half of dry ingredients until just combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and the toasted finely chopped pecans. Mix until just combined. Shape the dough into two balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take one ball of dough out of the refrigerator. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to a 1/4 inch thick. Cut out the cookies with a 2 or 3 inch heart cookie cutter for the top and bottom of the cookie or you can use a cookie cutter with a small heart cutout in the center for the top cookie and a solid cookie for the bottom. Arrange on the parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart and bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Keep your eye on the tray so it doesn’t brown too quickly. Cool on the sheet then remove to wire rack. Repeat with second ball of dough. Spread 1 tsp. raspberry jam on bottom cookie then sandwich with another cookie on top. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Anise Seed Sugar Cookies (about 32 cookies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, anise seeds and baking powder. Use a spoon to measure flour into measuring cup and level with a knife so as not to over measure.3. In the bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla extract and egg and continue to beat until well blended.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture one cup at a time until incorporated.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Separate into three smaller portions. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut using 3-inch round cookie cutter placing 1 inch apart on prepared tray. Use the 1 1/2-inch round cutter to cut centers from the cookies. Sprinkle with sugar and edible stars.
Transfer to prepared sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on tray for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Almond Meltaways (about 22 cookies)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, almonds, confectioners’ sugar, corn starch and salt until well combined. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter and shortening. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add almond extract. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until you have a well combined ball of dough.
Shape the dough into balls, about one tablespoon each and place on prepared tray, about 2 inches apart. Flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in some granulated sugar and then press a whole almond into the center of each cookie.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until just lightly browned and firm when gently touched. Let stand on baking sheet for 5 minutes, before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Ingredients