These cookies are filled with color and sweetness.

1 1/2 cups gumdrops

3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Take out all of the black gumdrops and store for another use. Cut the remaining gumdrops into small pieces. Place gumdrops into a bowl. Add in the walnuts, raisins and 1/4 cup flour; toss to coat. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Add egg; beat in buttermilk, flour; stir into creamed mixture. Add gumdrop mixture and mix well. Chill for 1 hour.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool .

Makes 36 cookies.

=> Christmas Cookie Recipes: Frosted Cashew Cookies

A tasty frosted cookie decorated with a cashew in the middle.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon each baking powder, baking soda, and salt

1 3/4 cup salted cashew halves

Browned Butter Frosting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the egg, sour cream and the vanilla; mix well.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture; mix thoroughly. Fold in the cashews.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool before serving.

Browned Butter Frosting

1/2 cut butter

3 tablespoons half and half cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Additional cashew halves, optional

Directions

In a saucepan, lightly brown the butter. Remove from heat. Stir in the cream and vanilla. Beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth and thick. Frost cookies. Top each cookie with a cashew half, if desired.

=> Christmas Cookie Recipes: Soft Mincemeat Cookies

A unique holiday cookie with the distinct taste of mincemeat.

1/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup mincemeat

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add in the eggs and mincemeat; mix well.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts, if desired.

Drop cookie dough by the tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet, space 2-inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies.

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There are so many Christmas cookie recipes around but often so little time to bake during the busy holiday season.

The solution? A great tasting basic cookie recipe that quickly and easily turns into such a variety of easy to make Christmas treats, friends and family will think you poured over all your favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

Let’s start with the basics.

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter (or margarine) at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour. Beat with an electric mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. With mixer at a low speed, add the flour gradually, beating just until everything is well blended.

Place the mixture on a baking sheet using a tablespoon measure and press down with a spoon to flatten a bit. Or roll our and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake at 350ºF for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

This basic cookie mixture is also the base for the following cookie recipes (all baked in a preheated oven at 350ºF).

Orange Cookies

(Makes about 32)

Add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest to the recipe. Shape into a log that is about 1 1/2″ in diameter and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4″ thick slices. Place on cookie sheet. Cookies can be decorated with candies, rolled in colored sugar, or cut into pretty holiday shapes before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cherry Coconut Chocolate Squares

(Makes about 54 squares)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and coarsely chopped

Line a 13″x9″ baking pan with foil.

Stir cocoa powder into basic dough mixture. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust looks dry.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, almond extract and baking powder until well blended. Stir in coconut and cherries. Pour over the baked crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until top just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Lift it out on to a cutting board using the foil ends and cut into 1 1/2″ squares. Squares can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Coconut Pineapple Cookies

(Makes about 36)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/3 cup pineapple preserves (use raspberry or apricot if you prefer)

Add 1 cup of the flaked coconut to the basic dough mixture and mix well. Shape the dough into 1 1/2″ balls and roll in the remaining coconut to coat them. Place the balls 1″ apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie with your fingertip.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookie is firm and the coconut is lightly toasted. When cooled, fill each hole in the center of the cookies with the preserves.

You can vary this basic dough to make a wide variety of Christmas cookie recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger or cinnamon. Add chopped dried fruits like apricots or dates. Or bake them plain in holiday shapes and decorate with colored icing.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Here’s hoping these quick and easy Christmas cookie recipes help keep the pressure off the cook.

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