Growing up, this recipe was always the one I looked forward the most at Christmastime.  My grandmother was the only one in the family who made them — because, as you’ll see, they’re just a teeny bit complicated to make.  But their uniquely chewy, chocolate-y texture is completely unlike any other cookie I’ve ever had.

Cinnamon Stars, or Zimsterne, are a traditional German cookie that features almond and cinnamon. Both ingredients were extremely expensive and hard to find in the “Old World,” making these a special holiday-only treat.  The recipe I’m sharing today is my German great-grandmother’s recipe.

Cinnamon Stars
1 egg plus 1 egg white
1 pound almond paste
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp dutch cocoa
3 cups chocolate cake crumbs
pinch of salt
pinch of baking powder

1. Beat the sugar into the eggs until light and fluffy. Add the almond paste and mix until completely incorporated. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well.

2. Rest the dough overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, roll the dough out into a sheet 1/4″ thick. The dough will be very sticky — you may use up to 1 cup of white flour to help prevent it from sticking.

3. Dip a star-shaped cookie cutter into flour, and cut out cookies. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Today’s recipe just may be my favorite so far of all the 12 days of Christmas cookies.  They’re versatile, giftable, and best of all, delicious.

I love Butterscotch Blondies, but I think they’re even more fun when you mix up the dry ingredients and put them in an adorable mason jar as a gift. Just add directions!

Blondies in a Jar
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix all these ingredients together and add to a 24 oz mason jar.

2. Wrap up as a lovely gift with these directions attached:

In a medium mixing bowl, melt one stick of butter. Add  1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2 cups of the dry mix. Bake 20-25 minutes in an 8×8 pan @ 350°.

 

Voila!  If you want to make this gift even more special, you can add a personalized (free!) printable label.

Since it was my husband’s birthday last week, I made him his favorite Peanut Butter Kisses, which he actually asked for instead of cake.  Everyone (well, unless they have a peanut allergy) loves these. And they’re a good project  for the whole family: I put my kids in charge of opening all of the Hershey’s Kisses, which was actually a really good way to keep them occupied while I mixed everything up.Except sometimes some of the kisses disappeared:But they finally got all done:See what fun it is?

Peanut Butter Kisses
(makes 2-3 dozen)

24-48 Hershey’s Kisses
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
white turbinado sugar for rolling

1. Preheat oven to 375°.  In a mixer, beat together the butter and peanut butter. Add white and brown sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Except I just pour them all into the measure cup and mix with a fork so I don’t have to wash another dish, like this:3. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the mixture in your mixer.

4. Shape into 1 1/2″ balls, roll in the turbinado sugar (regular white works fine if you don’t have a coarser sugar), and place on ungreased cookie sheet.5. Bake 8-10 minutes. Press the Hershey’s kiss immediately into the center of each cookie upon removing them from the oven, and cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

Ok, I know — a truffle isn’t a cookie. But these truffles are so delicious that you will forgive me the minute you sink your teeth into this chocolate-y, rich little ball of goodness.  And these would are perfect peppered on a cookie tray or on their own in a mason jar.

Chocolate Orange Truffles
(makes 1 dozen balls)

1/3 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
1/4 cup butter
8 oz chocolate chips OR chocolate kisses
1 tsp orange extract
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

1. Combine the cream, the butter, and the chocolate chips in a small sauce pan until melted, but DO NOT allow to boil. Stir frequently until it is smooth.

2. Remove from heat and add the orange extract. Pour into a small baking pan and chill for at least an hour, but overnight is better. The colder the mixture is, the easier it will be to roll into balls.

3. Remove from refrigerator and, using a small spoon (a melon baller works well), roll the chocolate into balls. Dust with or roll in the cocoa.

Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer (my preference) for 2 months.

Yesterday we made lemon-coconut bars, so today I thought we’d continue with the bar cookie theme and make chocolate oat bars!  Instead of flour, these cookies use 2 cups of oats, making them quite a bit healthier than the average cookie.  Well, except for the entire stick of butter they also contain.  I suppose you could use margarine or some disgusting “butter-flavored spread,” but really, why would you?

Chocolate-Oat Bars
(makes about 2 dozen)

2 cups oats (quick oats are fine)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 package chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large glass bowl, melt the butter by microwaving it for 1 minute. Mix in oats, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, and salt.
2. Spread the mixture in a medium greased baking pan (9×9 works well). Bake 8-10 minutes.
3. Immediately after removing the pan from the oven, sprinkle the chocolate tips on top. Wait 2-3 minutes until they get soft and melty, then spread gently and evenly so the entire top is coated with chocolate.
4. Refrigerate at least an hour, then cut into bars. Store in refrigerator for best taste.

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