Christmas Cookies

Christmas time is here!!! I have been waiting since December 2020 to write this blog. I remember I was planning my blog launch for my birthday in February of 2021, but wanted so badly to make this post last December. So here we are!!

If you don’t know me on a personal level, then you likely do not know that I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I love the magic, giving, Christmas spirit, family time, cooking, baking, and all of the fun that comes along with the Christmas season. I even like the darn Elf on the Shelf!

One of my absolute most favorite parts of Christmas is cookie baking day! Growing up my mom always made sure that we made every cookie/ Christmas treat we could think of on a planned day in December, so it holds special memories. I now do it with my mom and my kids!

To make our Christmas cookie baking day even bigger, we now bake enough cookies to give an assortment of all of the cookies we make, to all of our 50+ employees at Busy Bulldogs! This baking day is HUGE!

I wanted to share the recipes and pictures of last Christmas’ baking day to give you some inspiration, motivation, and ideas for what to bake this holiday season! There is nothing better then receiving a handmade gift/ treat– made with love! (and lots of sugar!)

Below you can find the following recipes:

• G’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (or Butterscotch Chip Cookies!)
• Chocolate covered Oreos sprinkled with Peppermint
• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Chocolate covered popcorn mix
• Puppy Chow

Directions

1. Cream sugar and brown sugar with shortening.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, Mix well.
3. Next add baking soda, salt, and flour slowly, while mixing.
4. Add chocolate chips to the mix.
5. Drop spoonfuls onto baking stone (for best results) or baking sheet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
7. Most importantly, ENJOY! You can do this same recipe but replace with Butterscotch chips and it tastes like a completely different cookie– truly one of my favorites!!

Directions

1. Before beginning place candy candy canes into a ziplock baggie. Use a mallet or heavy dish to crush the candy canes into small pieces. Set this aside.
2. Place candy melts into a glass or microwave safe container.
3. Melt them in the microwave for 30 seconds. Give it a good stir. Keep doing this in 30 second increments until its melted smooth.
4. Spread your parchment paper out onto the counter.
5. Simply start dipping one half of your Oreos into the melted candy chocolate melts. Immediately lay the dipped Oreos onto the wax paper. Continue doing this until all Oreos have been dipped.
6. Sprinkle crushed candy cane pieces from before onto each dipped Oreo.
7. Let dry! Enjoy!

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended.
3. Add 1/3 cup of sugar and brown sugar. Beat with mixer until fluffy.
4. Add 1 egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix well.
5. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Do this slowly to avoid a flour cloud!
6. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheet.
7. Bake 7-8 minutes.
8. Immediately press a chocolate kiss down into the center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Let cool.
9. ENJOY!

Directions

1. Pop popcorn over the stove.
2. In a very large bowl, stir popcorn and dry cake mix together.
3. Microwave the candy melts for 30 second intervals in a microwave safe dish. Stir in between.
4. Pour the melted chocolate/candy melts over the popcorn. Stir until covered evenly.
5. Add in sprinkle and chocolate candy.
6. Pour out onto a large sheet of parchment paper that is laid out on the counter to let cool.
7. Package airtight within 1 hour or it will get stale. ENJOY!

Directions

1. Set aside very large bowl with TIGHT fitting lid. (Peek at the powdered sugar mess that results from a loose lid-haha!)
2. In a very large pot melt chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter all together. Stir continuously. If left unattended it will burn quickly.
3. Act quickly- dump the dry crispix cereal into the melted chocolate, butter, and peanut butter mixture. Stir aggressively as your dump the cereal into the mix. Be sure to coat and cover the cereal with the mixture.
4. Once you have this step completed, pour the powdered sugar into the large bowl with lid that you had set aside. Its now time to use a spatula and scoop out every ounce of the chocolate covered cereal mixture into the powdered sugar filled bowl.
5. Seal the lid on the bowl– and SHAKE!! Shake really hard, wiggle it, shake some more.
6. When you open the lid from the bowl the first time prepare yourself for powdered sugar to make a big POOF! You have been warned.
7. Then have fun telling the kids its “puppy chow”. My favorite childhood treat!!