Holiday Cookies

     I absolutely love the holidays....two reasons, I have a few weeks off from work to relax AND I get to bake, cook, and indulge in delicious food treats!  This post is all about the cookies I made for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  These are perfect as homemade gifts or just to have out for guests.   Please try these and enjoy your families this and every holiday season.  :)

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (you could use milk or dark...or make some of each)
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Cream the butter and the sugar in a medium bowl.  In another bowl, mix the flour and the salt.  Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until it starts forming larger clumps.  Mix in the maraschino cherries, white chocolate and vanilla extract.  Dump out onto a piece of parchment paper.

Form the dough into a rectangular log, wrap it in plastic and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour. 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Cut the log into 1/4 inch thick slices and place them on a parchment lined baking pan with one inch of space between them.  Bake until they just start to turn lightly golden brown on top, about 10-15 minutes.

Let them cool completely before packaging them up.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Snicker-doodles

***Yes, as I'm typing, I just realized the commonality here.  White chocolate is my favorite chocolate and I use it often :)

Ingredients:

(For cookies)

1½ cups sugar

½ cup butter flavored shortening
½ cup butter
2 eggs room temperature
1 TB vanilla
1½ tsp. cream of tartar
2¾ cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
⅛ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
⅔ cup white chocolate chips

(For sugar coating)
3 tsp. cinnamon
4 TB sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Cream butter, shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla and cream together.

In a separate bowl combine cream of tartar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until well combined.  Add white chocolate chips and stir (with a spoonula) until well combined.

Cover with foil and refrigerate for 30 - 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the "coating" sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. 

Form dough into small balls, roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture and then place on a greased cookie sheet.  The dough is pretty sticky.  Have a small bowl ready with water to dip your fingers tip in.

Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for about 8 minutes.