bake my favorite holiday cookies this weekend, by CC

This article was written for yooou! by 16-year-old, CC.

This weekend is the perfect time to do some holiday baking! Here are some of my favorite recipes. 

Candy Cane Snowball Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 8 ounces white candy coating, melted
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

Directions

1. Cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate, covered, until firm enough to shape, 3-4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
4. Dip tops of cookies into candy coating, allowing excess to drip off; dip into crushed candies. Let stand until set.

Vanilla-Butter Sugar Cookies 

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Frosting:

• 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk
• Optional: Food coloring, sprinkles and colored sugar

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
3. For frosting, beat confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired consistency. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; transfer frosting to bag. Pipe decorations. Sprinkle with colored sugar or decorate with sugar pearls.

Peppermint Bark 

Ingredients

• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 12 oz. white chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• 8 candy canes, crushed 

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill the bottom of a large pot with 3” water and bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, then place a large heatproof bowl on top. Add semi-sweet chocolate and stir occasionally until chocolate has melted. Stir in extract. Pour into prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes. 
2. Over the same pot of barely simmering water, place another large heatproof bowl. Add white chocolate and stir until melted. Pour over set semi-sweet chocolate then top immediately with candy canes. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Fine salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Position 2 racks in the center of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
3. Beat the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer) until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at time, beating after each addition to incorporate. Beat in the vanilla. Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to medium, add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.

For SW’s amazing gluten free holiday snacks, click here. And to read about CJ’s successful cake baking business, click here.