Cookies... and Then Some

So the format for this is going to be a little different. There are a series of recipes here and this post would end up being much too long to want to look at. So, I'm going to simply post the recipe (with any additional notes) and add some photos of the items along the way. The first recipe to tackle: eggnog truffles. Yeah.


Eggnog Truffles
8 Oz. of Premium White Chocolate
1/2 Cp. Sifted Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cp. Butter, Softened
1/4 Cp. Refrigerated Eggnog
2 Tbsp Dark Rum
1/4 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Cp. Finely Chopped Pecans, Toasted

Melt the white chocolate in a glass bowl as per the instructions. Add the powdered sugar, butter and eggnog; stir gently until the mixture is smooth. Next, add the rum and the nutmeg; stirring until blended (*I don't like rum so I substituted the rum for 1 Tsp Rum Extract and then 1 and 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract. This is just a preference type of thing.) Cover and freeze at least two hours.

My Toasted Pecans

Freshly Pecan Rolled Truffles

If necessary, let truffle mixture stand at room temperature to soften. Using two small spoons shape the mixture into 1" balls. Quickly roll the balls in the toasted pecans and then place them on a wax paper-lined pan, cover and freeze until firm.

Eggnog-Ganache Covered Strawberries

Road 1: This is where I really veered away from the recipe, which calls for a vanilla bark coating. Instead, I chose to make a chocolate-eggnog ganache. (I am not posting the recipe for that here. If you'd like to make your own either contact me or just reference the ganache recipe posted earlier in this blog substituting a good portion of eggnog for the heavy cream and adjusting your additives. I didn't add Curacao. But that's another story...) If you choose to go this way: Keep the eggnog ganache warm and "liquidy" enough to dip the truffles in. My truffles were a mixture of half covered and completely doused. The rest of the ganache I kept out to dip strawberries in as well as half-dip a portion of my oatmeal-honey cookies in.   

Road 2: However, if you would like to use a vanilla bark coating you will need 6 Oz. Vanilla Bark Coating added to the top of your recipe list. Melt the bark coating according to the package directions, and, using two forks dip your truffles into the melted coating.

Either road you took: Place the dipped truffles on wax paper to harden. You can store the truffles in the freezer up to one week. Yield: 2 dozen.

Eggnog Truffles

 Cassata Swirl Cookies
 1/2 Cp. Butter; Softened
3/4 C. Sugar
1 Lg. Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cp. All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/3 Cp. Finely Chopped Fresh Cranberries
1/2 Cp. Ground Walnuts
1/2 Cp. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, Finely Chopped
1 Tbsp. Grated Orange Rind

Beat butter and sugar at a medium speed with a mixer until light and fluffy.

Cranberry Concoction

Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, beating until blended. Cover and chill dough one hour.

In a separate bowl, combine cranberries, walnuts, chocolate and orange rind. (For my orange rind I grated it fresh then stuck it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit with a cinnamon and sugar mixture sprinkled in to candy them up a little. This isn't necessary, though.)

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, rolling it into a roughly a 10" square. Sprinkle the Cranberry Mixture evenly onto the dough, leaving about a 1/2" border on two opposite sides.

From Jellyroll to Cookie

Roll up the dough, jellyroll fashion, beginning at a bordered side. Cover and freeze for eight hours.

Cut roll into 1/4" thick slices and place on lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake on top oven rack at 375 for 14 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 3 Dozen.




Swedish Cookies with Lemon-Almond Royal Icing
1 Cp. Butter, softened
1 Cp. Sugar
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cp. and 2 Tbsp. Sour Cream
2 1/2 Cp. All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1 Cp. Sifted Powdered Sugar 

Cream butter in a mixing bowl; gradually adding your sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add Vanilla and Sour Cream, mixing well.

Combine flour and salt; fold into creamed mixture. Cover dough and chill several hours or overnight.

Working with small portions of dough at a time, roll to 1/4" thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters and place at least 1" apart on a lightly greased baking pan.

Cookie Dough Topped Pecans

Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes, place on wire racks to cool and ice to your desire (my icing recipe will be later.)

Dough Leaves ready to bake off

(*I used this dough to mold leaves for display around cakes. To do this, cut out a leaf pattern from the dough and place them on rolled up tin foil to create different shapes and effects. I also covered the tops of some pecans to use in displays... and then eat.)



Honey-Oatmeal Cookies
1 Cp. Butter, Softened
1 Cp. Sugar
1/4 Cp. Honey
2 Eggs
1/2 Cp. Sour Cream
2 Cp. All-Purpose Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Ground Ginger
1 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cloves
3 Cp. Quick-Cooking Oats, Uncooked
1 Cp. Chopped Dates (if desired)

Cream butter and gradually add the sugar and honey, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir in sour cream, blending well.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a medium mixing bowl; add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats and dates, mixing well.


Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2" apart onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes. Yield: 8 Dozen.

(*A portion of these cookies I dipped in the eggnog-ganache mentioned earlier, the rest I left plain.)

Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookies with Royal Icing
1 Cp. Butter, Softened
2 Cp. Sugar
1/4 Cp. Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Honey
1/4 Cp. and 2 Tbsp. Milk (I used Eggnog here as well)
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
4 Cp. All-Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon

Cream butter. Add sugar, honey and eggs, beating well. Stir in milk and vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and then add to the creamed mixture; mixing well. Chill.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about a 1/8" thickness. Cut with assorted cookie cutters and place 2" apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes. Yield: 5 Dozen.


Royal Icing
2 Large Egg Whites
2 Tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Cp. Powdered Sugar, Sifted




In electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sugar and beat on a low speed until smooth.

(*I split half of this icing batch up. For the first half I added a little bit of vanilla extract and used this to ice the old-fashioned christmas cookies. For the second half of this icing batch I added almond extract and lemon extract to taste. I made a third batch of this same basic royal icing and added pumpkin and vanilla extract along with some brown sugar for my pumpkin bread. Adding more or less powdered sugar for the desired consistency.)

Starting at the top and moving clockwise: Eggnog Truffles w/ Eggnog-Ganache dipped Strawberries, Swedish Leaf Cookies, Cassata Swirl Cookies, Honey-Oatmeal Cookies(plain and dipped in ganache,) Old-Fashioned Christmas Cookies with Royal Icing

Pumpkin Bread with Royal Icing, Swedish Leaf Cookies and Cookie-Coated Pecans

I was mostly focusing on the versatility of cookies with this post, which is why I'm not including my recipe for the pumpkin bread shown (this one is pretty standard.) I included the bread in the display with the cookies because it offers an opportunity for not only showcasing the Swedish leaf/pecan cookies but it also completes a nice flavor tie-in with the added touches to the plain royal icing. The Cassata Swirl cookies are definitely my favorite; I'm working on a candied orange and ricotta frosting for them. If I come up with a good one I'll definitely post it.