Old-fashioned Orange Cookies

As the granddaughter of a baker, I love cookie season! I enjoy trying new recipes and filling the house with many, many dozens of treats to deliver to friends and family. This recipe came from my first ever cookie exchange when (gulp) I actually bought cookies from my grandfather's bakery instead of making my own. If you are intimidated by cookies like I was, try organizing a community or work cookie exchange; it is a great way to score some good recipes!

INGREDIENTS:

Cookie Ingredients

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 T orange rind (Valencia orange rinds provide the most flavor)
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 t each: salt, baking powder, baking soda

Icing Ingredients

• 2 1/2 T butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar (I've had success with Domino)
• 1 1/2 T orange juice
• 2 t orange rind

DIRECTIONS:

Cookies (4 dozen, 2-inch cookies)

1. Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs until creamy.
2. Stir in orange rind and orange juice.
3. Blend in dry ingredients.
4. Drop by teaspoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-8 minutes.

Cookie Icing

1. Mix the butter until creamy.
2. Slowly add confectioners sugar and orange juice.
3. Mix until blended well.
4. Stir in orange rind.

Note: I recommend investing in a grater; mine is handheld with a container to collect the rind.

Difficulty: Medium (you do have to grate an orange)

Time: Start to finish about an hour

Source: Work Cookie Exchange

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

I have made a few recipes similar to this one over the years for my cookie tray and to mix in with others as gifts.  It is a perfect addition, with the festive candy cane sprinkles on the top.  The nice thing about this recipe is if you don't care for the candy cane topping, you can substitute whatever you would like - half of a caramel, walnut or pecan pieces (or halves), a drizzle of melted chocolate...you name it, and it will probably work.  I love the chewy, almost brownie-like texture...delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 squares Baker's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
• 3/4 c butter
• 2 c sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 3 or 4 coarsely chopped peppermint candy canes (or other topping of your choosing)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes or until butter is melted.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted.  (At this point, I transfer to the mixing bowl of my stand mixer.)
3. Stir in sugar.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour; mix well.  Refrigerate 15 minutes, or until dough is easy to handle.  (This is very necessary.  I actually put the dough back into the fridge between batches.)
4. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
5. Bake 8 minutes or just until set (do not overbake).  Once removed from the oven, immediately sprinkle candy cane bits onto the top and press into the cookie slightly.  Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Difficulty: Pretty easy on a cookie scale (only the rolling into balls keeps it from being very easy, in my opinion)

Time: 15 minutes prep, 8 minutes cooking time per batch

Source: adapted from Kraft Food & Family magazine, Holiday 2006 edition