Cookie Baking Time!

Over the weekend I baked several batches of cookies to add to some already in the freezer, and today I plan to deliver baked goodies to a few friends. My new favorite Christmas cookies, above, are these White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops (recipe from the truly wonderful BH&G magazine "100 Best Cookies.") These have chopped pieces of peppermint candy mixed right in the batter, along with both melted white chocolate and chunks of white chocolate. And boy, are they good!



I also made Snowflake Sugar Cookies using some pink sugar crystals my sister gave me. I *love* colored sugars because they're so easy to use!


And when I realized I had somehow failed to include any milk chocolate, I made some easy almond flavored chocolate truffles (adapted from a recipe in the Nov/Dec issue of Taste of Home's "Simple and Delicious" magazine).



Finally, I made these jam-filled cookies with leftover sugar cookie dough and using a design idea I got from cookies on the cover of the December issue of "Everyday Food." I thought these cookies looked quite impressive, almost like little Christmas package bows. I was so pleased to read inside and learn it's just star shaped cookie dough with the "points" all tucked toward the center of the cookie. Below is a picture of the technique in case you've got some cookie baking ahead and want to try this. Happy baking!