It isn’t Santa’s season but there is no reason his friends shouldn’t enjoy some of the treats that he loves so much — even when he’s resting at the North Pole.
This week’s cookie recipes come from the book, Santa’s Cookie Jar.
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Chocolate Gingersnaps
3/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix (without pudding in the mix)
1 tbsp. ground ginger
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
Place sugar in a shallow bowl.
Combine cake mix and ginger in a large bowl. Add eggs and oil and stir until well blended. Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
Bake about 10 minutes. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about three dozen cookies.
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Chocolate Chippers
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk chocolate morsels
1 3/4 cups quick or old fashioned oats
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels, oats and nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 9-12 minutes or until edges are set but centres are still soft. Cool on sheets for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Cookie bar variation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Slice into about 48 pieces.
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Carrot Cake Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
1/2 cup raisins or chopped pineapple
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
Beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well blended. Beat in flour mixture until blended. Stir in carrots, raisins or pineapple.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared sheets.
Bake 12-14 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned. Cool on sheets for 1 minute then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
