Red Velvet Snowball Cookies

This is the last of the 2020 cookies.  I might have saved the best for last.  You can decide.  If nothing else these are pretty cookies on the inside.  Can't go wrong with a red and white cookie.

These are a twist of the Mexican wedding cookie or Sand Tarts as we use to call them. 

I bet you have the ingredients in your pantry to make these today. 

Start with 1/4 cup pecans.

Finely grind them in the food processor. 

In your mixing bowl, add 2 sticks of softened butter.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Also add 1 1/2 teaspoons red food coloring. 

1/2 teaspoon salt. 

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar.  Mix well. 

Then add 2 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 cup cocoa. Mix well. 

Add the finely chopped pecans. 

Now roll into balls.  This recipe doesn't make a lot of cookies so you might want to double it. If you are baking chill the dough for about 20 minutes.  When ready to bake preheat the oven to 375 and bake for 7-9 minutes.

When they come out let cool for a couple of minutes on the pan. 

Then roll in powdered sugar. 

Let sit for a few minutes.

And if you need to roll them again. 

Then enjoy these cookies. 

Red Velvet Snowball Cookies Recipe

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

powdered sugar for rolling.

Preheat oven to 375.  Bake for 7-9 minutes. 
 

Andes Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Still channeling 2020 today.  Not that we want to go back in time but going back in time for these cookies could almost be worth it.  Almost! Another wonderful flavor of the holidays is peppermint.  Peppermint on a cold winter's day is really refreshing.  I don't think you will be disappointed by these cookies.  Santa likes them too. 

Look at those beautiful golden cookies.

These are so easy to make.  The andes peppermint pieces are perfect for these cookies.  They melt beautifully.

Start with two sticks softened butter.

Add 1 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup sugar.  Mix well.

Add 1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour.  Mix well. 

1 cup old fashioned oats.  Mix well. 

1 cup sweetened grated coconut.  I chopped it a little in the food processor. 

1 1/2 cups andes peppermint crunch baking chips.  These are usually a seasonal item.

Mix everything well.  Then scoop cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  

These cookies will spread some so you will want them to be about 2 inches apart. Place in a preheated 300 oven and bake for about 20 minutes. 

The recipe says you can drizzle some dark chocolate across the tops of the cookies but I don't think they need it. 

Andes Peppermint Crunch Cookies Recipe

2 sticks softened butter

1 cup dark sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup sweetened grated coconut

1 1/2 cups andes peppermint crunch baking chips

Preheat oven to 300 and bake for 20 minutes. 

 

Chewy Cherry Santa Cookies

2020 may have not been a great year but these cookies were not.  This is recipe #2 from 2020.  The original title was chewy cherry cowboy cookies but I had to change the name to Santa cookies. These cookies are so good. 

I wish I had one warm from the oven now. 

I know it looks like a lot of ingredients but they are ingredients you probably already have on hand. 

Start with two sticks softened butter.  I use unsalted butter in baking.

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar.  Mix well. 

Add 2 eggs.  Mix well.

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups all purpose flour.  Mix well.

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut.  I used my small food processor and chopped it up a little. 

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 cup dried cherries chopped.  Mix well.  Then scoop cookie dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Preheat oven to 350.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy warm from the oven.  What am I saying they are good anytime.  Santa would approve of these cookies.

Chewy Cherry Santa Cookies Recipe

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 sticks softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.
 

Christmas M&M Cake Mix Cookies

Okay folks I have a confession to make.  The cookies I am going to be sharing in the next couple of days are the cookies I made last year but never wrote up to share.  We all know that 2020 was a strange year.  So here are some extra cookie recipes for this year. 

You can't go wrong with a cake mix cookie.  They are very quick to put together especially when you are running short on time. 

Yes this is all you need to make these cookies. 

Start with one box of your favorite chocolate cake mix.

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

2 eggs

and 1 cup red and green M&M's.  It would be fun to use the peppermint M&M's with the chocolate cake mix.  You are only limited by the flavors of M&M's. 

Mix well before the M&M's.  The dough will be thick and sticky. 

Stir in the M&M's.  

Then scoop out onto your cookies sheet.  I line my cookie sheets with parchment.  I also scoop to freeze so I can have fresh cookies whenever I need them.  When ready to bake place in a preheated 350 oven.  Bake for about 9 minutes.  If frozen they might take a little longer. 

Then enjoy.  I would suggest keeping a chocolate cake mix and some M&M's in the pantry because you know there will be some last minute event you will need to take something to and these come together very quick. 

Christmas M&M Cake Mix Cookies Recipe

1 box chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup Christmas M&M's red and green

Mix well.  Preheat oven to 350.  Bake for 9 minutes.