Cookie Baskets

Annually, whenever it is Christmas, we send cookie baskets to school, neighbors, and hospitals. This year, the cookie baskets looked like these 😀

In the baskets, you will find these cookies: Apricot and Nut cookies, Cappuccino cookies, Chocolate Oatmeal cookies, Cranberry Cornmeal cookies, Gingerbread cookies, Poppy Seeds and Lemon cookies. I will post the recipes for each cookies all in one blog, as you know me, too lazy to separate them hahahah Saving space on the website 😛

I am also gonna send in these recipes to a contest on instructables.com 😀

I will also show you how to make super easy and super affordable cookie packaging 😀

Apricot and Nut

If you aren’t so lazy like me, you can transform these cookies into pinwheel cookies 🙂

1/2 c butter/margarine/shortening butter flavor, butter is at room tempt.

1 c sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 c flour

1 tsp BP

1/4 c apricot jam

3/4 c walnuts, finely chopped

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy then beat in egg and vanilla

Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to the creamed butter and mix well

If you are making pinwheels, roll dough, spread jam and sprinkle with nut and roll. Chill for 2 h and slice. But if you are making drop cookies like on the picture, once dough is formed, chill an hour then rewhip using mixer and beat in jam and the chopped walnuts

Drop by heaping tbsp on ungreased baking sheet and bake on preheated 375 F for 9-12 mins. Cool on rack completely before storing

Cookies are on the 4th on the picture (clockwise), next to gingerbread

Cappuccino

1/3 c butter/margarine, butter is at room tempt.

1 c brown sugar, dark or light or even palm sugar and/or coconut palm sugar

2/3 c cocoa powder

1 tbsp instant coffee, regular or decaf

1 tsp BSoda

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 egg whites (if using pasteurized from carton, 1 egg white is equal to 3 tbsp and 2 tsp)

1/3 c yogurt, plain, low fat, vanilla flavored, is up to you 🙂

1 1/2 c flour

1/4 sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven 350 F

Beat butter until fluffy then beat in brown sugar, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda and cinnamon powder

Beat in egg whites and yogurt until combined

Beat in flour (if you are using hand held mixer, beat in as much flour as you can, then stir in with wooden spoon

Shape a tbsp dough into a ball, roll on sugar and place on ungreased baking sheet

Bake for 8-10 mins and cool on rack completely before storing

On picture, cookies are the dark chocolate ones 🙂

Chocolate Oatmeal

In a bowl, mix:

3/4 c flour

1 tsp BSoda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 c chopped walnuts

1 c m n ms or smarties

1/2 c raisins

3/4 brown sugar, dark or light or palm sugar or coconut palm sugar is fine

1 1/4 c quick cooking oats

Preheat oven 350 F and lightly grease baking sheets

Beat 3/4 c butter (softened), 1 egg, 3/4 tsp vanilla essence until smooth then stir in flour mixture

Roll into balls and bake for 12-15 mins

Cool on sheets for 2 mins then move cookies to cooling rack to cool completely before storing

Cookies are on the left of cappuccino cookies, on the picture 🙂

Cranberry Cornmeal

1 c flour

1/2 c cornmeal

1/2 tsp BP

a pinch of salt

1/3 c butter/margarine, butter is at room tempt.

1/4 c sugar

1/4 tsp almond essence

1 egg

1 tsp orange/lemon/lime zest

1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

Mix dry ingredients, set aside

Beat butter, sugar, essence until fluffy then beat in egg and orange zest

Fold in dry ingredients followed with chopped berries

Roll into a log and freeze for an hour

Slice and bake on preheated 350 F for10-12 mins on parchment lined baking sheets

On picture, cookie is next to cappuccino cookies to the right

Enjoy 🙂

Gingerbread

1 c shortening

1 c sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 c molasses (fancy, dark, cooking, whichever you can find)

5 1/2 c flour

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp each cinnamon powder, clove powder, baking soda, salt (or you can use 1 tsp allspice to subs clove)

Mix flour and spices, plus baking soda and salt, set aside

Beat shortening and sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs and molasses

Gradually stir in the rest of the ingredients

Divide dough into 2 portion, shape into disk, cover and let rest in the fridge over night

Roll dough between parchment paper and cut with cookie cutter to desired shapes

Bake on preheated 325 F for 12-15 mins and cool on rack before decorating and storing

On picture, gingerbread are behind poppy seeds cookies and apricot and nut cookies

Poppy Seeds and Lemon

2/3 c sugar

1/2 c butter/margarine, butter softened

1 egg

2 tsp grated lemon peel

1 1/4 c flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp poppy seeds

Lemon Glaze

1 c icing sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven 350 F

Mix flour, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy then beat in egg and lemon peel

Gradually beat in flour mixture

Drop dough by generous teaspoon on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 11-12 mins

Cool on rack completely before glazing

Mix icing sugar and lemon juice, pour into piping bag or ziplock bag, and glaze cooled cookies

Let icing harden before storing

Cookies are in front of gingerbread and close to cranberry cornmeal

How To Make The Baskets

We use paper plate, which are a dollar for a dozen at Dollar store, how awesome is that? 🙂

Bend on the corners creating a square shape as shown on picture, and on each ends of the square, cut with scissor

Bend these cuts and attach one another with strapler

Voila, your packaging is done 🙂

If your plates are the hard one, for easier bending, cut the outer layer as shown on first picture (see my plates shape on the last picture, it has hard outer area)

Packing Cookies

Place tissue paper into cookie box, green and red color are so festive for this season. Organize your cookies nicely and hide a small Christmas card if not gift card for a surprise (I use Tim Horton’s for coffee or whatever recipient wants to get), and wrap with cellophane.

Voila, your cookie basket is ready 🙂

Happy Christmas~