Christmas Cookies Recipies #10: Gingerbread Boys

These are the best gingerbread men I've ever eaten. A nice light flavor with a hint of orange.

Yield:
3 -5 dozen
Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest

2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Cream the butter and the sugar together.

Add the egg and mix well.

Mix in the orange peel and dark corn syrup.

Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves and salt, mixing until well combined. Chill dough overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Grease cookie sheets.
Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick and cut into desired shapes.

Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes.

Christmas Cookies Recipies # 6: Candy Cane Cookies

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Red food coloring

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat well. Stir in the peppermint and vanilla extracts. Gradually mix in the flour.

2. Divide the dough in half. Color one half with red food coloring and leave the other half plain. Roll out a tablespoon of red dough and a tablespoon of plain until they are each 6 to 8 inches long. Twist them into a candy cane, pinching the ends. Repeat.

3. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not brown. Makes about 25.

Girls Night Out=Many Yummy Cookies

A great way to have a girls night out and not feel guilty about doing it is to have a Cookie Exchange. This is great fun...you get to spend time with you friends and come home with a load of different beautiful cookies...This is a time saver.

Here's how to have a Cookie Exchange with your friends, family, neighbors, church or community group!

* Invite 8 friends

* Everyone make 8 dozen cookies to exchange.

* Ask everyone to bake their family's favorite cookie and try to make sure there will be no duplicated recipes for the Cookie Exchange. The more variety you have the more fun it will be!

* Cookies to be exchanged should be wrapped well; placed either on plastic plates with saran wrap or in inexpensive disposable containers that are airtight.

* Attaching a copy of the cookie recipe with each dozen is always a nice touch, be sure everyone includes their name and any information about where the recipe is from, how it originated or at least a few words about how much their family enjoys the cookies.

* During the Cookie Exchange serve warm beverages such as coffee, hot cocoa, hot apple cider or herbal teas in pretty cups.

And most of all, enjoy this fun time with your friends! Thas What Works For Me!
Here are two really great sites that have loads of information and helps for pulling off a successful Cookie Exchange.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/Entertaining/CookieExchange/

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Community/CookieExchange/HostingACookieExchange.htm

Cookie Exchange Video from Taste of Home

Below are a few demonstration Videos on making cookies.

Santa Cookie Demonstration Video from Taste of Home

How to Ship your homemade cookies Video from Taste of Home

This is such a wonderful way to spend time with friends, get new recipies and come home with a variety of baked goodies.

That's what works for me! For more ideas, visit Rocks in my Dryer.