HOW TO BAKE

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Learn how to place and take Gingermen out of oven when making gingerbread men cookies in this free holiday cooking video. Expert: Jennifer Cail Bio: Jennifer Cail has been cooking and baking since she could reach the stove at the age of 4. Filmmaker: randy primm

The first beautiful dusting of fluffy white snow always puts me in the mood for baking Christmas cookies. At this time of year I tend to spend longer hours in the kitchen, baking up massive batches of cookies and candies as holiday music and movies play in the background. I love and have always loved the tastes and smells that come from a kitchen filled with love at Christmas time. Here are two of my recipes for traditional Christmas cookie favorites.

Gingerbread Cookies

6 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup shortening, melted and cooled

1 cup molasses

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon). In a large bowl, mix the shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla. Mix well. Add in the dry ingredient mixture slowly and mix well. Divide the dough into 3 pieces, make into pieces no bigger than 1 1/2 inch thick, wrap and refrigerate for 3 or more hours. Roll the dough (about 1/4 inch thick) out on a slightly floured surface and cut into shapes (smaller shapes work best with this dough). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Frost with powdered sugar icing (milk or cream and powdered sugar). Word of warning on this recipe, it makes a very large batch so I hope you have a lot of family and friends to share this with.

Sugar Cookies (roll-out)

3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup soft butter

1 beaten egg

3 tablespoons cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine softened butter and sugar until creamy. Add in egg, cream, and vanilla. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder and add it to the liquid mixture. Chill for at least one hour. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut into your favorite Christmas cookie shapes. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. If desired, put red and green sprinkles on top of the cookies before putting them in the oven. If you would rather make it a family project, bake the cookies, allow to cool, and make a powdered sugar frosting (milk and powdered sugar). Divide up the frosting into different bowls and color it with food coloring. Sprinkles, chocolate chips, red hots, and mini M&Ms can help add fun to the frosting process.

When you open your favorite magazine, you see delicious Christmas cookie recipes. Stop by the grocery store and you can’t avoid the special baking displays lined with brown sugar and cake mixes. Christmas means “start baking!” The old Pillsbury advertisement said it well, “Nothing says loving like something from the oven!” So how can a mother bake delightful treats for her children without gaining ten extra pounds in December?

1. Bake & Give. Make a list of the neighbors and friends you’d like to bless and then make up a plate for each household. Pull out your favorite recipes: sugar cookies, seven layer bars, chocolate peanut butter balls, and go to town! Have your kids help you bake and decorate your delicious cookies. By the time you get all your cookies wrapped up, there shouldn’t be too many leftover. Just enough for you and your family to enjoy as a special treat, instead of a cookie invasion to last for weeks.

2. Freeze & Save. Freeze leftover cookies and enjoy them slowly in the New Year. They will keep perfectly delicious in your freezer for three months. If you receive lots of treats from different neighbors or co-workers, you can freeze those also. Just enjoy a few cookies and freeze the rest to enjoy in January, February and March. You can divvy up the cookies evenly among family members and bet on who can make the cookies last the longest.

3. Shop & Skip. When you’re out grocery shopping, skip buying the gingerbread pound cake they’re sampling, the egg nog, and the special holiday M&Ms. Don’t buy any special treats for yourself or your family. There will be plenty of opportunities for treats at school Christmas parties, office parties, neighborhood parties…you get the picture.

You don’t need to be a Scrooge and outlaw all cookies in December. But you can’t say yes at every temptation or else you’ll look like Santa Claus come New Year. So bake your favorite cookies, share them with your friends and loved ones, and enjoy the tastes of Christmas in moderation.