Time to Start Christmas Cookie Baking - Round 1 - by Sunscape

It's time to make some cookies! Next week I should be ready to assemble my annual Christmas Cookie Trays. I've been doing so for over 20 years now, and I love holding true to my own traditions. Besides, if I ever stopped my neighbors would probably think I died, lol.

The weekend after Thanksgiving is when I make the "Italian Fig" or better known as the "Cuccidati" by my husband's Italian family from Sicily. My mother-in-law passed this recipe down to me to carry on her tradition. This starts off the holiday cookie baking in our house.

Cuccidati

Filling:

1 c. dried figs
½ c. dried dates, pitted
½ c. raisins
1 can crushed pineapple (8 oz.)
¾ c. chopped almonds
¾ c. chopped walnuts
¼ c. chocolate chips
¾ c. honey
¼ c. brandy
½ c. strawberry jam
1 ½ tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 T. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. nutmeg

Note: You can substitute the jam for your favorite one. I sometimes switch to raspberry or apricot, depending on what's on hand.

All of the above ingredients get ground together through the food processor to make the filling fine.

Cream together:

1 c. butter (2 sticks cut into cubes and slightly melted)
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
½ c. milk or cream
1 T. vanilla

Sift together:

4 c. all-purpose flour
1 ½ T. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

Roll dough into separate balls to make rolling it easier.

Make long rectangles, add filling all the way down the center, and roll into a log. Slice the roll into segments and place on a parchment-lined cookie tray.

Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes at 375°F until they are lightly golden. Transfer to a cooling rack. You can freeze these or keep them refrigerated until you are ready to frost them.

As you can see this recipe makes a good number of cookies, about 14 dozen. I always dip them in a powdered sugar frosting and add sprinkles to make them festive.

Sesame Cookies

Blend together:

1 c. sugar
1 c. melted butter or shortening cooled
3 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Sift together:

1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 - 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Combine the sifted ingredients with the wet and make your dough. Quickly toast some sesame seeds in a pan on medium heat, if desired. Shape the dough into little logs and roll in the sesame seeds to coat. Bake at 350°F. for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Sesame cookies happen to be one of my personal favs for the holidays.

Today, I have two more recipes to make, but first hubby has to go shopping for a few of the ingredients. I always start with the ones that freeze the best and then work my way up to the ones that I can't. At least it makes it a bit easier on me instead of cramming them all into a few days.

Stay tuned for more holiday cookie recipes and let me know if you are starting your cookie baking yet?