Christmas Cookies

Christmas is full of traditions and one of those traditions is the annual Christmas cookie baking marathon. Some years we've held cookie exchanges (baking dozens and dozens of a single recipe) and other years  just baked a dozen different varieties ourselves . This year I made two old favourites – Pecan Puffs and my mom's shortbread – and a new favourite – Macadamia White Chocolate Drops. 

Of course Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the tarts and leckerli, but those are posted elsewhere on this blog.

And so in one fell swoop, here are the 2013 Christmas cookies recipes:

Baba’s Shortbread Cookies
1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup berry sugar (a very fine sugar but not icing sugar)
2 cups flour
1 egg yolk
 
Cream butter until fluffy. Add yolk and sugar gradually and work until light
 
Add 1 3/4 cups flour, reserving 1/4 cup to work in.
 
Roll into cylinder/log and wrap in parchment. Refrigerate until firm.
 
Cut into slices using sharp knife or dental floss.

Place gummy in centre of each circle and bake @ 300° for 30 - 35 minutes.

 
Pecan Puffs
Cream:
1 cup margarine
1/2 cup icing sugar
 
Mix in:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
 
Fold in 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans.
 
Shape into 1 inch balls. Lay on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375° for 10 - 12 minutes.
 
Roll at once in icing sugar. Cool, roll again.
Or alternatively, using a sieve, sprinkle icing sugar over them.

 
Macadamia - White Chocolate Drops

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

Cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.
 
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
 
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture.
 
Mix in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate.
 
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350º.