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Friday, December 2, 2016

DECEMBER 3RD: COOKIES!

Christmas cookies and happy hearts, this is how the holiday starts!
~unknown~

Every year I announce that I am not going to bake so many cookies this Christmas.  With a doctor's appointment looming at the beginning of the new year,  I'm always mentally tabulating calories in my head throughout the month of December.  But then my husband says, "Well just the favorites" and then I spot something irresistible on a website or blog and the next thing you know, I'm buying more tins to store all those cookies.  This year I drew the line at two pounds of butter, when it's gone,that is it for  baking.  Do you know that there are a lot of cookies that don't require butter? Ha! Oh well!  There's always next year!

One cookie that is always on our menu is Eggnog Logs.  I've been baking them for over thirty years, they've become a tradition.. 

Eggnog Logs

3 C. flour
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 C, butter
3/4 C. sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. rum extract
rum frosting  (recipe follows)

Combine flour and nutmeg. Set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and flavorings.  Add flour mixture and combine well.
Shape dough into 3 -inch logs 1/2-inch wide.  Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool.

Rum Frosting
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
approximately 2C. confectioners' sugar
2 - 3 tbsp. milk

Beat together to make a thick frosting
Spread frosting over top of cookies. Mark frosting with tines of fork to resemble bark.  Sprinkle with additional nutmeg to resemble birch bark. (I use green sprinkles, thus ruining the effect, but I'm not that crazy about nutmeg)

See those pretty little pink cookies on the bottom left hand side?  They are a new-to-me recipe for this year and can be found here. Peppermint Meltaways are destined to be a tradition! 

20 comments:

  1. Love your tin of beautiful cookies! And I love using tins, too. My collection of them is appalling. ;)
    Have a great weekend!

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    1. Another thing we have in common, Toni! I especially love the Currier and Ives ones. Cookies just taste better in them.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  2. You have been busy and your cookies look delicious! I love how you have them in the pretty box too. I better get busy! Have a great day!

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    1. You don't need to "get" busy, Vickie. You are always busy!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  3. These cookies sound yummy ~ Happy Christmas baking and holidays ~ FlowerLady

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  4. Nothing is prettier and yummier -looking than a box of Christmas cookies and yours look delicious and pretty! Thanks for the recipes! I always say I am going to bake less too...ha....we'll see what I do bake...I will begin soon. Hugs, Andrea

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    1. Aren't we terrible, Andrea? Well, I guess we can always give them away. The trouble lies in the fact that there's too many tempting blogs out there. Yep, that's what I'm going to blame it on! Ha!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  5. Good morning Jane, both of these cookie recipes are new to me and both sound delicious!
    It is a shame that tiny melt in your mouth cookies don't just melt off our hips too, isn't it?

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    Replies
    1. Ha, Rhonda! Now that would be the perfect world!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  6. hello jane,
    those cookies in your tin looking delicious. thanks for sharing your tradition recipe,it sounds good.i have a lot of christmas cookie boxes.
    have a nice day,
    greetings from a frosty germany,
    regina

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    1. Ah so you have frost? We had a bit of snow yesterday. But nothing stuck. Still dreaming of a white Christmas!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  7. Thanks for the yummy recipe and pretty decorating ideas. That quote is a keeper!
    I'm still sewing up some gifts, then I'll turn my attention to baking. One thing I intend to make is bacon jam to give out. Sounds strange but it has maple syrup and caramelized onions.
    Blessings, Leslie

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    1. I made some last year for the Christmas hampers, Leslie. It is good, especially over a little cream cheese on a cracker. Hmmm, maybe I need to make some again this year. Thanks for reminding me!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  8. Your cookies look beautiful. Some of our favorites are spritz, Russian tea cakes and striped candy cane. But like you, I find that baking leads to eating!

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    1. My husband's favorite is the striped candy canes too, Isabella. We had spritz a lot growing up, it was fun to use the press for it. Just made tea cakes, yesterday. The cookies are going out the door as fast as I can bake them! The two pounds of butter rule has fallen by the wayside. Happy baking!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  9. Jane, those look delicious! I have a friend who is absolutely nuts about eggnog and I know she would love these. :)

    Be blessed my friend!

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    1. They're a quick bake, Debbie! The really do taste like eggnog. You're a sweet friend to bake for yours.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  10. Your cookies look so delicious! Love the assortment in the tin. It's so fun to bake now that the days are cold. Some of my holiday memories involve the foods that were a tradition. Thanks for sharing the eggnog cookie recipe. Sounds very good.

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    1. I'm even enjoying baking, Shirley. I think almost all of my family's tradition revolved around food growing up. It was the only way those straitlaced stoic old Germans could demonstrate their love. Ha!

      Hugs
      Jane

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