Recipe: McCall's Basic Cookie Mix and 6 Christmas Cookie Variations

MCCALL'S BASIC COOKIE MIX AND
6 CHRISTMAS COOKIE VARIATIONS
Source: McCall's magazine, December 1991

Basic Cookie Mix
Rolled Sugar Cookies
Candy Cane Cookies
Checkerboard Squares
Gingerbread People
Chocolate-Dipped Peanut-Brittle Fingers
Lemon Linzer Cookies

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BASIC COOKIE MIX

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; mix well. With pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Place in airtight container; store in refrigerator (mixture will keep for up to 8 weeks). Bring to room temperature before using. Recipe can be doubled or tripled.

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ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES
Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine ingredients; at low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third at a time, on lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thick; cut out with 3" cookie cutters. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.

Bake 8 minutes or until golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

If desired, decorate with icing, candies and colored sugars.

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CANDY CANE COOKIES
Makes 20 cookies

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
red paste food color
1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz) crushed peppermint candy
red edible glitter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and vanilla. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half; remove one half from bowl. With food paste, tint dough in bowl red; add candy. Mix well.

On work surface, divide each half dough into 20 equal pieces; working with one piece at a time, roll dough into 8-inch rope. Place a plain and red rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place twist on prepared baking sheet; curve top to form cane. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with glitter; transfer to wire rack to cool.

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CHECKERBOARD SQUARES
Makes 4 dozen cookies

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
melted chocolate or chocolate icing and white icing

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg and vanilla. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough. Divide dough in half; remove one half from bowl. To dough in bowl, add cocoa powder; knead to mix well.

On work surface, on separate sheets of waxed paper, roll each half of dough to 9x6-inch rectangle. Using paper to lift dough, invert plain dough onto top of chocolate dough. Remove paper from plain dough. Using long chef's knife, cut dough lengthwise into 2-inch wide strips. Stack strips, removing waxed paper and alternating colors. Cut stack lengthwise into three equal strips. Stack strips so colors alternate; gently press stack so dough layers stick together. Wrap stack in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

Remove plastic wrap from dough; cut stack crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices checkerboard side down on prepared baking sheets.

Bake 8 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

With pastry bag and writing, decorate cookies with dots of chocolate and icing.

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GINGERBREAD PEOPLE
Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 recipe basic cookie mix
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
white icing
red cinnamon candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie ingredients; at low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough into thirds. Working with one third at a time, on lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8-inch thick; cut out with 3-inch cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets.

Bake 8 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Decorate with icing and candies.

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CHOCOLATE-DIPPED PEANUT-BRITTLE FINGERS
Makes 42 cookies

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp water
FOR THE PEANUT BRITTLE TOPPING:
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups unsalted finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
FOR THE DIPPING CHOCOLATE:
12 oz semisweet chocolate
3 tbsp vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 15 1/2x10 1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan; line bottom and sides with sheet of aluminum foil. Grease foil.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg yolks and the water. At low speed, beat just until mixture forms a crumbly dough. Pat mixture over foil on bottom of prepared pan; bake 20 min or until dough is golden brown. Remove pan from oven.

TO MAKE THE PEANUT-BRITTLE TOPPING:
In heavy med saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and heavy cream; over med heat, bring to boiling, stirring. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in peanuts. Spread peanut-brittle topping mixture over cookies in pan.

Bake 15 minutes or until topping is brown and bubbly. Remove pan from oven; cool cookies slightly.

Using ends of aluminum foil, lift cookies from pan; cut crosswise into thirds. Cut lengthwise into 14 strips; remove cookies from aluminum foil. Cool cookie "fingers" completely on rack.

TO PREPARE THE DIPPING CHOCOLATE:
Line another wire rack with waxed paper. In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water, combine chocolate and shortening. Over low heat, cook mixture, stirring, until chocolate and shortening are melted and mixture is smooth.

Dip each cookie finger into chocolate mixture to cover halfway; place cookie on prepared rack to dry.

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LEMON LINZER COOKIES
Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 recipe Basic Cookie Mix
1 large egg
1 tsp grated lemon zest (colored part of peel)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (for filling)
Confectioners' sugar (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cookie mix, egg, lemon zest and lemon juice. At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough in half. Working one half at a time, on lightly floured surface, with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough 1/8-inch thick; cut out with 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the cookies. If desired, reroll dough centers for additional cookies. Transfer dough rounds and rings to prepared baking sheets.

Bake 8 minutes or until cookies are golden; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

With 1 tsp jam each, cover flat sides of rounds. Place a cookie ring, flat side down, on top of each filling-topped round. Dust tops of cookies with confectioners' sugar.