Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
Contributed by Diane S.

Recipe By     : McCall's magazine Dec 1991
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    :
  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
- --------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2      c             Unsifted all-purpose flour
     1/4  c             Sugar
     1/4  t             Salt
     1/2  c             Butter -- softened

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; mix well. With pastry
blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse
cornmeal. Place in airtight container; store in refrigerator (mixture
will keep for up to 8 weeks). Bring to room temperature before using.
Recipe can be doubled or tripled.

Variations:

Rolled Christmas Sugar Cookies:

1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine ingredients; at low speed, beat
until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough into thirds. Working with one
third at a time, on lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8"
thick; cut out with 3" cookie cutters. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.
Bake 8 min or until golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool; if
desired, decorate with icing, candies and colored sugars. Makes 3 dozen.

Candy Cane Christmas Cookies:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Red paste food color
1/2 c (2 1/2 oz) crushed peppermint candy
Red edible glitter

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
In large bowl of electric mixer, comibine cookie mix, egg and vanilla. At
low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half; remove
one half from bowl. With food paste, tint dough in bowl red; add candy.
Mix well. On work surface, divide each half dough into 20 equal pieces;
working with one piece at a time, roll dough into 8" rope. Place a plain
and red rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place twist
on prepared baking sheet; curve top to form cane. Repeat with remaining
dough. Bake cookies 10 to 12 min or until golden. Sprinkle with glitter;
transfer to wire rack to cool.

Checkerboard Christmas Squares:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1 lg Egg
1 ts Vanilla extract
2 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate icing and white icing

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and vanilla. At
low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half; remove
one half from bowl. To dough in bowl, add cocoa powder; knead to mix well.
On work surface, on separate sheets of waxed paper, roll each half of
dough to 9x6" rectangle. Using paper to lift dough, invert plain dough
onto top of chocolate dough. Remove paper from plain dough. Using long
chef's knife, cut doughs lentghwise into 2" wide strips. Stack strips,
removing waxed paper and alternating colors. Cut stack lengthwise into
three equal strips. Stack strips so colors alternate; gently press stack
so dough layers stick together. Wrap stack in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2
hours. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Remove
plastic wrap from dough; cut stack crosswise into 1/4" slices. Place
slices checkerboard side down on prepared baking sheets; bake 8 min or
until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. With pastry bag and writing,
decorate cookies with dots of chocolate and white icing. Makes 4 dozen
cookies.

Christmas Gingerbread People:

1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1/3 c molasses
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
White icing
Red cinnamon candies

preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie ingredients; at low speed,
beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough into thirds. Working with
one third at a time, on lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8"
thick; cut out with 3" cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.
Bake 8 min or until just beginning to brown. Transfer to wire rack to
cool. Decorate with icing and candies. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Chocolate-Dipped Peanut-Brittle Fingers:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
2 lg Egg yolks
1 tb Water
Topping:
1/2 c Packed light-brown sugar
1/3 c Dark corn syrup
1/4 c Butter
1/4 c Heavy cream
2 c Unsalted finely chopped -dry-roasted peanuts
12 oz Semisweet chocolate
3 tb Vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 15 1/2x10 1/2x1" jelly-roll pan; line bottom
and sides with sheet of aluminum foil. Grease foil. In large bowl of
electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and the water. At low speed,
beat just until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat mixture over foil on
bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 min or until dough is golden brown. Remove
pan from oven. Topping: In heavy med saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn
syrup, butter and heavy cream; over med heat, bring to boiling, stirring.
Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Stir
in peanuts. Spread peanut-brittle topping mixture over cookies in pan;
bake 15 min or until topping is brown and bubbly. Remove pan from oven;
cool cookies slightly. Using ends of aluminum foil, lift cookies from pan;
cut crosswise into thirds. Cut lengthwise into 14 strips; remove cookies
from aluminum foil. Cool cookie "fingers" completely on rack. Line another
wire rack with waxed paper. In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling,
water, combine chocolate and shortening. Over low heat, cook mixture,
stirring, until chocolate and shortening are melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip each cookie finger into chocolate mixture to cover halfway; place
cookie on prepared rack to dry. Makes 42 cookies.

Lemon Linzer Christmas Cookies:
1 Basic Christmas Cookie Recipe Mix
1 lg egg
1 tsp grated lemon zest (colored part of peel)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 c seedless raspberry jam
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg, lemon zest and
lemon juice. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough
in half. Working one half at a time, on lightly floured surface, with
lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1/8" thick; cut out with 3"
round cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the cookies. If desired,
re-roll dough centers for additional cookies. Transfer dough rounds and
rings to prepared baking sheets. Bake 8 min or until cookies are golden;
transfer to wire rack to cool completely. With 1 tsp jam each, cover flat
sides of rounds. Place a cookie ring, flat side down, on top of each
filling-topped round. Dust tops of cookies with confectioners' sugar.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.