Sweet Treats for the Holidays

courtneyrossi
Dec 17, 2014
3 min read

What Were Those Delicous

Sweet Treats We Were Baking?

The girls and I wanted to bake some delicious goodies to bring home for the holidays. We chose three of my favorite cookies: Giant Ginger Chews, Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, and Gum Drop Cookies. All three of these cookies are delicious, feel really festive, and can be modified for food allergies. I am actually, truly, really, medically gluten intolerant, so we used Pamela's Artisan Baking Flour for all three recipes (it's gluten free and still delicious).

The Giant Ginger Chews are super chewy, incredibly moist, and punch you with spicy flavor (which I usually

double!) The Gum Drop Cookies are also chewy, but full of texture- I grew up making these with my dad (his personal favorite and my Gramma's recipe). The Sour Cream Sugar Cookies and like biting into a soft cloud, they're light and fluffy, don't taste like sour cream, and actually call for almond extract (which I also double, or triple if I'm feeling sassy; which is most days). I have no doubt that your friends and family will enjoy these cookies as much as mine do, so here are the recipes. Enjoy!

Giant Ginger Chews

4 1/2 C Flour

4 tsp Ground Ginger

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Cloves

1/4 tsp Salt

1 1/2 C Shortening

2 C Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 C Molasses

Extra Sugar and Cinnamon for rolling cookie balls in

before placing on cookie sheet

Play around with the spices

to make these cookies perfect for your palate.

Stir together flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt

Beat shortening, gradually adding sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add eggs and molasses and beat well. Add the flour mixture slowly until just combined (don't over beat).

Shape dough into 2-inch balls. Roll in sugar and cinnamon, place on cookie sheet about 2.5 inches apart (they tend to really spread out!)

Bake at 350 for 12 to 14 minutes, or until cookies are light brown and puffed up. Let stand 2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Remember to save a few for your holiday guests...

Gum Drop Cookies

2 C Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

2 C Quick Oats

1 C Shredded Coconut

1 C Gum Drops or Spice Drops (halved or whole)

1 C Shortening

1 C Brown Sugar

1 C White Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

Cream together shortening and brown and white sugar. Then beat eggs and vanilla (I go big here... tablespoons big...) and add that to shortening mixture.

Separately combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and oats.

Beat flour mixture and shortening mixture together.

Then incorporate coconut, and gum drops.

Drop 2 inch balls onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.