Snowman Cookies

Ingredients:

1. 1 package (16 ounces) Nutter Butter cookies
2. 1-1/4 pounds white candy coating, melted
3. Miniature chocolate chips
4. M&M's minis
5. Pretzel sticks, halved
6. Orange and red decorating gel or frostin

Directions:

1. Using tongs, dip cookies in candy coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. Place two chocolate chips on one end of cookies for eyes. Place M&M's down middle for buttons.
2. For arms, dip ends of two pretzel stick halves into coating; attach one to each side. Let stand until set. Pipe nose and scarf with gel or frosting. Yield: 32 cookies.

Source: Taste of Homes

Christmas Cookie Tree

Ingredients:

1. 2 rolls (18 ounces each) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
2. 2 to 3 tubes (4-1/4 ounces) green decorator icing with tips
3. 1 tube (4-1/4 ounces) yellow decorator icing
4. 1 tube (4-1/4 ounces) red decorator icing

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut parchment baking paper to fit two large baking sheets. Tape two large sheets of parchment to work surface with masking tape. Unwrap one roll of cold dough and roll out to 1/4-inch thick on parchment. Flour rolling pin as necessary to keep dough from sticking. With small sharp knife, cut out one 7-inch circle* and one 6-1/2-inch circle. Untape parchment and transfer circles onto on baking sheet. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and return to refrigerator.
3. *Use a compass to draw 12 circles, each one 1/2 inch smaller, on parchment paper; cut out and use as patterns to cut dough circles. For a "free-form" look, use various bowls, glasses, and biscuit cutters to trace and cut out 12 graduated circles.
4. Unwrap second roll of cold dough and repeat process, cutting out 6-inch circle and 5-1/2-inch circle. Transfer onto second baking sheet and bake both sheets 10 to 14 minutes, checking for doneness after 10 minutes. Cookies should be light golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes until firm, then slide parchment paper and cookies onto racks. Cool completely before removing from parchment.
5. Continue repeating steps, making 8 more circles, each 1/2 inch smaller in diameter. Reduce baking time as circles get smaller.
6. To assemble tree, secure largest cookie to serving platter with dab of frosting. Using leaf tip and green icing, pipe leaves around outer edge of cookie. Place large dab of frosting in center of cookie. Add next biggest cookie and repeat. Continue adding cookies, largest to smallest.
7. With small plain tip, pipe yellow garlands around tree. Use red frosting to add "ornaments." Pipe additional decorations, if desired.
8. Serve cookies individually by separating layers or cut into pieces using serrated knife.

Source: howstuffworks.com/

Almond Thins

Ingredients:

1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

Heat oven to 350° F. Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes; let cool.

In a food processor, pulse ½ cup of the almonds with ½ cup of the brown sugar until the almonds are finely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and the remaining ½ cup brown sugar at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat to combine.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually mix in the flour-nut mixture just until combined (do not overmix). Gently fold in the remaining ½ cup almonds.

Form the dough into two 12-by-1½-inch logs. Refrigerate, tightly wrapped, until firm, about 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Heat oven to 350° F with the racks in the upper and lower thirds. Working with 1 log at a time (keep the other chilled), cut it into ¼-inch slices and place the slices on 2 baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden, 9 to 11 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Storage suggestion: Keep the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Source: realsimple.com