Christmas Cookies

Tannenbaum "Christmas Tree" Cookies.

Easy Sugar Cookies & Buttercream

1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups of sifted flour
½ teaspoons salt

Sift together flour and salt, set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture. Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least three hours before you roll it out. Bake @ 350 F for 8 - 9 minutes.

Mix one stick of softened butter and 1/4 cup milk with 1 lb powdered sugar. Add vanilla to taste.

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Zimtsterne: Swiss Cinnamon Stars

My boyfriend's Swiss mom taught me to make these this year.

Rum Balls

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

1 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup gold rum*
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup finely chopped, toasted walnuts
1/2 cup dried fruit**

In a large bowl sift together the sugar, cocoa powder and allspice. Stir in the rum and corn syrup. Stir in wafers, nuts and fruit. Place in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes so the mixture can firm up a bit.

Scoop up the dough and form into 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in refrigerator over night. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

*The original recipe called for dark rum, but I used what I had. These balls are really strong, so if you're not a big rum fan use light colored rum.

** I used Zante currants in mine. Craisins or dried cherries would be awesome as well.

Holly cupcakes

Holly cupcakes, originally uploaded by thesmartcookiebaker.

Inspired by a recipe of Nigella Lawson's, I made these delightful cupcakes for a holiday party. The cake is my favorite devil's food recipe with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice added. The result was an intense chocolate cake with a likewise intense spiciness. The cupcakes are topped off with a simple American vanilla butter cream. The sweetness complements the spice nicely.

Happy Hanukkah!

Hanukkah Donuts, originally uploaded by thesmartcookiebaker.

I guess it's the last night of Hanukkah today but I celebrated with some friends last weekend. In addition to latkes, matzo ball soup and brisket, I fried up a big batch of cinnamon-sugar sour cream donuts.

3 1/2 cups AP flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Zest from 1 large orange
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup melted butter, cooled briefly
1 cup sour cream
Canola oil for frying

Whisk together dry ingredients in medium bowl. In a stand mixture, beat sugar and eggs until very thick. Beat in orange zest and vanilla. Gradually beat in butter, then beat in sour cream in 2 additions. Gently fold in dry ingredients in 4 additions. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, press out dough to 1/2" - 2/3" thickness. cut out dough rounds with cutter. Gather scraps and repeat.

Pour oil into a deep pan to a depth of 1 1/2". Heat oil to 365 - 370 degrees. Fry donuts, 3 - 4 at a time, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels and allow to cool slightly. Quickly roll in granulated sugar and serve.

Mini Fruitcakes

Mini Fruitcakes, originally uploaded by thesmartcookiebaker.

Cranberry Orange Martini

So it's not actually a baked good but it still was delicious! Although, a little strong. Enjoy!

1 oz Patron Citronge Liqueur
1 1/2 oz Patron Silver Tequila
Juice of 1/2 an orange
Splash of cranberry juice
1 fresh cranberry

Shake with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Drop in one fresh cranberry.

Beer Bread

Beer Bread, originally uploaded by thesmartcookiebaker.

Beer Bread is the easiest thing you can bake! All you have to remember is 3,2,1.

3 cups Self-Rising Flour *
2 tablespoons sugar
1 bottle (or can) of beer **

It's that easy. Mix together the flour and sugar and then slowly add the beer. Put in a loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes.

The bread gives off a lovely yeast smell and tastes great dipped in soup or slathered with soft butter.

The loaf is easily customizable as well. I added some garlic powder and cheddar cheese in my loaf.

*1 cup of plain AP flour + 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder + 1/2 tsp of salt = 1 cup self raising flour

*12 ounces. I used Fat Tire beer (my favorite). I recommend either using some cheap american beer or an ale. I would not recommend using Guinness.

Hot Chocolate Cupcake

When the weather outside is frightful it's great to curl up with a mug of hot cocoa. Here is that mug in cupcake form. I took my trusted buttermilk cake recipe and added some cocoa. After they cooled, I piped on a swirl of meringue and returned them to the oven to be toasted. The cupcake was delicious warm from the oven. Milky, chocolatey, and steamy....just like a mug of hot cocoa!

Cranberry and Pear Cake

This creation came from the last ever issue of Gourmet magazine. It's a spice cake made with fresh Bosc pears, fresh cranberries, and glazed with a cinnamon-caramel sauce. It was a unique dessert among the other Thanksgiving pies.

Cranberry Blondies

Pow! Sweet, Tart and Buttery all at the same time! I was thinking about making chocolate chip cookies when I looked in my fridge and inspiration struck. Half a bag of cranberries were begging to be used. I didn't feel like making a cake or cookies so I thought "how about a Blondie." Blondies, in case you don't know, are a mix between a brownie and a cookie. They are made in the way of a brownie but feel like eating a chocolate chip cookie in bar form. For mine I added dark brown sugar, a half cup of fresh cranberries and a little bit of chocolate chips.

Cranberry Orange Bread

Cranberry Orange Bread is my favorite thing to bake during the holidays and it's usually the first thing I'll bake come December. As soon as I see those bags of fresh Ocean Spray cranberries in the store I stock up and rush home to bake this wonderful loaf. I've been using the same recipe since 2002 when I stumbled upon it in college. Simply made with fresh orange juice, orange zest and fresh cranberries, it's a wonderful holiday tradition.