Chocolate Cherry Sugar Cookies: Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange Part I

Virtual Cookie Exchange

ANNOUNCEMENT: I'm hosting a Virtual Cookie Exchange through the month of December. Want to participate? Simply email me at motherlylaw@yahoo.com with your favorite holiday recipe and any story or history that goes along with it or even a photo or two, and I'll share it with my readers. Or just show up and reap the benefits of this Cookie Exchange, if you'd rather not contribute a recipe.

Here is the first installment of the Holiday Cookie Recipe Exchange. I'm starting things off with one of my top secret {because it tastes so rich and scrumptious, but is so easy to make} favorite Christmas cookies.

The Tradition of Baking

For me, baking cookies for family and friends means that Christmas is here. My mother always loved to bake special cookies in the week or so prior to Christmas; and I enjoyed helping. Then, I began making cookies too. And I have made sure to continue that tradition with my Boys. Even when they were very small, I would bake cookies and let them decorate the cookies.

This process could easily get out of hand and become a complete disaster. And if you have boys, as I do, there is no idyllic mom and child happily, icing cookies with great care, each wearing an apron, Hallmark kind of moment; just take my word for it. It's more like a scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with icing smeared on couches, rugs and walls, colored sugar covering the entire table and floor like a light dusting of snow, flour in small snow drifts all around the kitchen, etc.

Baking with the Boys

I learned this quite early on and enlisted the help of our nanny. She was infinitely more patient than I and helped Darling 1 with the frosting and sprinkling while I mixed, rolled, cut-out and baked and Darling 2 happily babbled and slept intermittently in his infant seat. Well, that was 3 years ago. Of course, with each year, some things get easier and other things get harder.

I involve the Boys in some aspect of the baking/decorating/delivery process every year; and each year which part they help with changes with their ages. Darling 2 happens to be a very good baker; following each instruction given and waiting for more directions. Darling 1 is an experimenter and does not care to follow directions; instead his aim is to concoct a new mixture of some sort. So, Darling 1 is better suited to decorating than mixing.

Christmas Cookies

I like to make a variety of flavors and textures for my cookie tray; sugar, chocolate, ginger, soft, buttery and crisp. When it comes to cookie baking the fewer ingredients involved, the quicker the recipe and easier to divide the dough for making different varieties the better. This cookie recipe fits the bill.

I found this recipe about 10 years ago while searching for a new sugar cookie recipe. I now bake it every year, making at least three kinds of cookies from it; all are delicious! My favorite variety is a cherry chocolate version.

The first year I made these I had doubled or tripled the recipe and was tired of rolling out, cutting out and decorating the sugar cookies. I had mini chocolate chips and dried cranberries on hand and decided to mix them into the dough and bake in balls. As it turns out, I had accidentally bought dried cranberries flavored with cherry juice, which made the cookies taste like cherry chocolates, especially with the distinct taste of vanilla in these cookies. I have intentionally baked this version every year since.

Chocolate Cherry Sugar Cookies

1 cup white sugar

2 sticks of butter, softened (Real butter, please! No substitutes)

3 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon of PURE vanilla

1 egg yolk

2 ¼ cups flour

1 cup of mini chocolate chips, give or take, depending on taste

1 cup cherry flavored cranberries

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine sugar, butter, cream cheese, vanilla and egg yolk. Beat until smooth.

Stir in flour.

If rolling out for cut-outs, chill the dough or a portion of the dough until firm and not sticky about 8 hours or so. Then, roll out to 1/8 of an inch thick, cut out and bake for 8 minutes or so, being careful not to burn the edges.

If making Chocolate Cherry version, proceed....

Mix in chocolate chips and cranberries, with desired amount of chocolate and cherry goodness.

Scoop dough into balls with 1 tablespoon and place on foil or parchment covered baking sheet. . I have found these cookies are best small, as they are rich and buttery.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Note: Cookies will be quite white and soft when they are ready to come out of the oven. Do not overcook.

Another variation: These are excellent with M&Ms in them too. Also, if working with kids, this recipe works well to roll out, cut out and decorate with M&Ms, then bake. No need for further decorating; and they really are quite delicious. Feel free to try any variety of mix-ins to suit your taste.

Send me your recipes, please! Over and out...

Anna

Comments

[Julie Hollabaugh]

Yummy! I can't wait to try these!

[katrina]

wait..am i that nanny? :) i'll have to get my mom to email you some of her xmas treat recipes. you know she that's her thing!

[katrina]

wow. and i call myself a teacher..."you know that's her thing" was what i meant to say.

[Trina]

Love this idea of a virtual cookie exchange. You were even a cookie baker in college. I have fond memories of Christmas gatherings at your little, yet sweet apartment. And I totally agree, baking with preschool boys is always an adventure, and a MESS!

[Dolls House]

Wonderful recipe! Thank you for sharing it with us! I really wish you A merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

[Louisa]

This does look prmoisnig. I'll keep coming back for more.