12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Day 4

Hopefully you enjoyed (and/or endured) my foray into Wordless Wednesday. I didn't make this up; it's a practice that's somewhat common in the blogoshpere. On Wednesdays you post a photo that speaks for itself and leave it at that.

Yesterday's cookie was Chocolate-Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, from Pie in the Sky.

Trout Dale Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

[Recipe for 5,000 feet]

Makes 55 cookies (2-inch diameter)

Line cookie sheets with baking parchment, nonstick baking mats or lightly coat with butter.

Rack in center of oven; bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.

1½ cups plus 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
Generous ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Generous 1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs at room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins (optional)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
2. In a large bowl using a sturdy spoon or an electric mixer, preferably with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft and creamy, then beat in both sugars. Scrape down the bowl and beater, if using, and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, and scrape down the bowl again.
3. Stirring slowly, or with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually work in the flour mixture then the oats and any mix-ins. The dough will feel very stiff.
4. Drop the dough onto cookie sheets by heaping tablespoon, places cookies 2 inches apart. Bake for the time indicated or until the cookies are golden brown, the longer they bake, the crisper they will be.
5. Cool cookies on a wire rack. When the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container.

I modified the recipe and added 1 cup dried cranberries and 1 cup chocolate chips rather than raisins.

Today's cookie is another sugar cookie, published in the December 2010 issue of Country Living.

Basic Sugar-Cookie Dough

Makes 24 cookies

Line cookie sheets with baking parchment, nonstick baking mats or lightly coat with butter.

Rack in center of oven; bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1½ cups confectioners sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer at medium-high speed.
2. Add eggs, vanilla and salt, beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low, add flour and mix until smooth.  

We added red food color to ¼ of the dough to decorate candy cane shaped cookies. Roll dough to ¼-inch thick and use cookie cutters to shape, and decorate. Bake as directed.

A couple of Roo's friends - Doodle and Rabbit - came over to help decorate.

They started in a very traditional mode, then went all Picasso on them. 

The unusual shade of gray is the result of mixing the red and green sugars into the vanilla frosting. Doesn't look very appetizing to me, but, according to the kids, they tasted good.