Child of the Wild Blue Yonder: cookies

White Chocolate Dipped Cardamom "Snow Balls"

It's getting frighteningly close to Christmas... If you're anything like me, you're ill prepared, and probably have over half of your list of gifts yet to combat. One thing that I know I can always look forward to during the holiday season is cookies! Whether it's eating, or baking cookies, I'm happy to take part. So here we go again with the baked goods; these are flakey, delicious cookies based off of a basic shortbread with a twist to add even more holiday flavor. Lastly, it is dipped in white chocolate to make this treat even more decadent.

This recipe is very easy, and requires minimal effort. Use either a hand mixer or standing mixer to mix the ingredients.

What You'll Need:

-1 Cup Unsalted Butter (softened)

-1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

-2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

-1/4 tsp Cardamom

-1 tsp Orange Extract

-Pinch Salt

-11 oz White Chocolate

-Sprinkles (optional)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F. In a bowl off to the side whisk together the flour, cardamom, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter until it is smooth. Add in the brown sugar, and continue to beat together the ingredients until they appear smooth and combined.

2. Add in the orange extract, followed by the flour. Beat over low speed until a slightly crumbly looking dough forms.

3. On a lightly floured surface knead the dough for a few minutes. Add flour if the dough sticks. Separate the dough into bite sized balls and layer on a baking sheet. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, or until slightly golden and cracking.

4. Let cool completely on a cooling rack. Add a small amount of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. In a heat safe bowl, add the white chocolate and place on top of the hot water. Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring frequently. Don't let any water into the bowl with the chocolate. The secret to melting chocolate is to go for lower heat. Dip in the cookies immediately, and transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put in the fridge until the chocolate has dried.

Cream the butter before adding in the brown sugar.

Then combine the sugar.

Add the flour and beat until a crumbly dough forms.

Knead together the dough and form bite sized balls from the dough.

Bake at 350º F for approximately 10 minutes.

Dip the "snow balls" in melted white chocolate...

Throw on some sprinkles to make the cookies even more festive!

Christmas "Confetti" Shortbread Cookies

baking 5:38 PM

I love Christmas, it's an excuse to bake cookies all day while listening to the classic crooners - I really love the old Christmas songs... there's nothing like Nat King Cole or Dean Martin and the smell of shortbread cookies in the oven.
Today, Josh and I put up my Christmas tree. It's kind of a ritual for me to play Christmas music, admire all my ornaments, and bake cookies on a day as festive as this!
These shortbread cookies are so easy, and using some sprinkles in the dough really adds to the holiday appeal of the cookie.

What You'll Need:

-1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened

-2 Cups All Purpose Flour

-1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

-1 tsp Vanilla Extract

- 1/4 Cup Sprinkles

1. Whisk together flour and salt in a small bowl.

2. In a separate large bowl, add in the butter, cut into Tbsp cubes. Use a hand mixer to beat the butter until it's smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, and beat this together until it is smooth and kind of white. Add the vanilla and beat until everything is mixed together.

3. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat it on low speed. The mixture will look kind of crumbly, but the dough should come together when you squeeze it between your fingers. Add the sprinkles, and just mix them in with a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated.

4. Split the dough into two, and form two disks. Cut two sheets of plastic wrap, and cover them with flour. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

5. Once the dough is ready to be handled, pre-heat the oven to 325º F. Roll out the dough to be about a 1/4 inch thick. I left the dough in the plastic wrap by leaving some loose edges for the dough to expand into. If you remove it from the plastic wrap, make sure you lightly flour your rolling pin. Cut out the cookies, I used a shot glass because it was the perfect little round size.

6. Bake the cookies at 325º F for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges of the cookies are golden. Let them cool before enjoying.