14th Annual Holiday Cookie Exchange, Saturday December 12

Check out the recipes from our finalists

The winners are

• #1Cedernbrot by Carl Kuhn
• #2 Kathe's Chocolate Walnut Lemon Cheese Bars by Katherine Mullin
• #3 German Chocolate Cookie by Rochelle Wattz
• Honorable Mention (Tie) Connie's Candy Canes by Lynne Palm
• Honorable Mention (Tie) Nonni Mary's Cookies by Elise Tonelli

Judges included

Joseph Humphrey, Executive Chef of Cavallo Point Lodge and Murray Circle, Michelin One Star Restaurant
Patricia Unterman, Food Writer for the San Francisco Examiner, author of The Food Lover's Guide to San Francisco and restaurant owner, Hayes Street Grill
Margrit Mondavi, The Robert Mondavi Winery and Continuum--and an amazing cook!
Gary Rulli, Proprietor of Emporio Rulli, Emporion Rulli Grand Café and Rulli Café on Union Square and at the Airport
Rick Rodgers, Author of many, many cookbooks for the American palate.

Guests included

Dominie Lenz, General Manager, Cavallo Point Lodge
Laina Brown, General Manager, Black Stallion Winery
Elaine St. Clair, Winemaker of Black Stallion Winery

Prizes Include

Uber Grand Prize

An Escape to Cavallo Point Lodge -- two glorious nights with dinner for two at Murry Circle Restaurant cooked by Michelin star celebrated Joseph Humphrey
Escape to The Post Ranch Inn --two spectacular nights ocean side- with an intimate dinner for two at Sierra Mar cooked by Executive chef Chef Craig von Foerster
CCRadio2 From C Crane and Company

Second Prize

Yountville Bound!
Two nights at the brand new Hotel Luca, in Yountville
Casual dinner for two at Cantinetta Piero
Spa treatments for two in the Tuscan style, Spa Luca
CCRadio2 From C Crane and Company

Third Prize

Chefs' Holiday Weekend at the Ahwahnee Hotel. Enjoy 3 nights this January in Yosemite Park's Ahwahnee Hotel including cooking classes, a gala reception and dinner!
CCRadio2 From C Crane and Company

Honorable Mention

Dinner for two at the Dry Creek Kitchen by Charlie Palmer with overnight accommodation at the Hotel Healdsburg. (Torelli)
Overnight at Rosewood Sand Hill in Palo Alto, and a spa treatment. (Palm)

Plus

Black Stallion Wine
Gloria Ferrer Grand Cuvee
Coffee from Don Francisco
Chocolate from Ghirardelli
Michelin Guide Books
Gift baskets from Sonoma Valley
Viking Pro Stand Mixer (Gourmet Appliance Outlet)
Zojurishi Bread Machine
Product Prizes: Analon, Circulon, Bonjour Products, Paula Dean cookware
Dinner for two at Ad Hoc
Family four-packs to the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Cookbooks!!
And much more!

Finalists

Double Ginger Chocolate Chunk Cookies
By Cooky Longo

• 2 cups flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (plus 1/3 cup for rolling)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup mild flavored molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/2 cup crystallized ginger
• 1 cup dark chocolate chunks (a bittersweet chocolate bar cut into chunks)

1) Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl and whisk to blend: mix in crystallized ginger and set aside.

2) Using electric mixer, cream butter, shortening and both sugars until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg, add molasses and vanilla, and blend.

3) Add flour mixture and mix just until blended and no flour is showing.

4) Stir in chocolate.

5) Cover and refrigerate about 45-60 minutes.

6) Spoon the 1/3 cup sugar into a plate.

7) Using damp hand, form dough into 1-1/2 inch balls and roll in sugar to coat completely.

8) Place balls on cookie sheets with parchment paper and space 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Let set on cookie sheet about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

Hi Gene--

It is cookie time. My favorite time of the year.

This recipe, actually, comes from my head. I look at hundreds of recipes and then make up my own. Then I whip up a batch of them to see how they turn out and if I need to adjust anything. I give them the good taste test. I bring them to my shop and get feedback from my clients and co-workers. They love my experiments.

If you like certain flavors, then you can blend them and you know what tastes good. Ginger is a wonderful flavor, and chocolate--who doesn't like dark chocolate. Together, they even out the flavor in the cookie without losing one over the other. The additional spices add depth to the cookie.

I have been baking since I was 9 years old. It is my passion. I love to bake anything and everything. I can't go into a bookstore without being drawn to the cookbook section. I have most of the baking books. I have almost 400 cookbooks, probably more; 98 percent of them are baking. My clients give me cookbooks and recipes. If I could bake and create all day long, that would be pure happiness to me.

Thank you, Cooky Longo

Walnut Anise Biscotti
Isabell Regusci-Simone

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cup sugar
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons vanilla
• 1-1/2 tablespoons toasted anise seeds
• grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
• 5 cups flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt (only if using unsalted butter)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 4 cups toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1) Mix flour, baking powder (and salt, if using) together, set aside.

2) In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

3) Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture is smooth: add vanilla, anise seed, lemon rind and juice, and blend.

4) Add flour mixture and beat just until thoroughly blended. Mix in walnuts; cover and chill dough at least 4 hours.

5) Divide dough into several portions. On lightly floured board, roll dough into logs about 1-1/2 inches in diameter and about 12-14 inches long.

6) Bake logs, spaced apart, in preheated 325 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden and firm to touch. Cool 10 minutes. Slice logs diagonally about 3/4 inch thick.

7) Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place slices cut side down on baking sheets and bake 10-15 minutes. Cool on racks.

I am Swiss Italian and I have been baking longer than most people have been alive. My Nona (mother to everyone else) taught me how to survive. That included baking. With all our ranch hands and winery help, somebody had to feed them. So, between Nona and me we cooked and baked every single day. She left me with a legacy and lots of good recipes, good food and good friends.

This cookie recipe is so good. Anise is a very Italian flavor and it makes these cookies delicious. I make most of my cookies by hand. I do have a small hand mixer. That is the extent of my electrical appliances. Oh, I just got a microwave for my 80th birthday and I was not happy. I put it out on the back porch. Out of sight, out of mind. My stove is all I need and it is about 55 years or older and it sees everything from pizza to pasta and dozens of cookies every week. Still going strong, just like me.

I don't have a timer, except in my head. I have been baking and cooking long enough to know when something is done. My friend Cooky (who is like a daughter to me) has been telling me for the last few years that I had to enter a recipe. So, this is my recipe.

Grazie, Isabell Simone

English Butter Biscuits
Laurie Prather

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup superfine sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups all purpose white flour
• 1/4 cup diced dried and sweetened cranberries
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

(alternative: the cranberries and walnuts can be omitted; substitute in 1/2 cup of currants or raisins)

Cream the room-temperature butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in sugar and salt and mix until creamy; stir in vanilla, flour, cranberries and the walnuts. Stir until dough is smooth. Roll dough into 2" log and wrap dough in plastic. Refrigerate dough for about 2 hours until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease 2 baking sheets. Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices and space them 1 inch apart. Bake until cookies are golden, about 10 minutes. Remove immediately and do not allow cookie to over-bake. Allow cookies to cool 10 minutes and then transfer the cookies to racks and cool completely. Store in airtight container.

This is an old English recipe. My family is a blend of Austrian-German-Russian and adopted this recipe while when my family settled into an English part of Ontario, Canada. My mother and all my sisters used to make it when we growing up in Canada. This is a simple recipe and it takes on the overtones of savory nuts and firm ripe fruits blended in. I serve them to guests since they go very with a brandy or port. My mother's recipe called for using raisins but I have made the recipe with cranberries and walnuts for a more adult flavor.

Connie's Candy Canes
Lynne Palm

• 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-1/2 cups flour

• 1 lb. chocolate chips (either semi-sweet or dark chocolate)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur

• Peppermint bark (crushed finely)

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add stirred egg and vanilla, stirring thoroughly into butter mixture. Slowly add flour and salt, stirring until well mixed. Cover and chill dough 30 to 60 minutes.

Push dough through a cookie press, making candy cane shapes on a cool ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in warm oven (325 degrees) for 5-7 minutes until cookies are firm and just beginning to look done (before edges brown). Cool on pan before removing from cookie sheet.

In a double boiler warm the cream until steam starts to rise--2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips, stirring until melted, smooth, and creamy. Add the liqueur and stir until blended. Keep the mixture warm (over the hot water) while dipping cookies sochocolate stays smooth.

To decorate, dip the long end of the cookie in melted chocolate and dust with crushed peppermint bark.

My mother, Connie, loved to make cookies. She started baking the day after Thanksgiving and shared her cookies with all of her friends and neighbors throughout the holiday season. She arranged cookie exchanges and loved new recipes.

This recipe originated from her mother-in-law, Anna, who came to America in the early 1900s from Sweden. Anna was an amazing cook and baker, working for a wealthy family in Santa Monica, California, for almost 10 years to repay her passage to America. Connie adapted Anna's butter cookie recipe to make it her own. My mother loved candy, so she added peppermint and chocolate to create this festive holiday delight.

My mother died last December from heart disease--the day before her annual holiday cookie exchange in her hometown of Kingsburg, California. Her cookies were baked, the recipes handwritten, and the invitations were sent. She didn't get to enjoy that party last year, but maybe this year she can enjoy it through us, her daughter and granddaughter, as we dedicate this recipe to her memory and to the others who die too early because of complications from undetected heart disease.

Orange-Chocolate Chip Cookies
BarbaraLee Lilker

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose four
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 12 oz. package chocolate chips

• 1 cup chopped nuts and/or raisins
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, then gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips and nuts and/or raisins and grated orange. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9-11 min. or until brown. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

I came up with this recipe while a student at UC Santa Barbara. When I came home for the Christmas holidays one year, my younger brother Tom was parking cars at Marin Joe's in Corte Madera and was looking for a unique present for his best customers. That started a tradition where my present to him was making the bags of cookies for his customers every Christmas.

Merry Cherry Melts
Penny Ellis

To make about 30 cookies

• 3/4 cup ground almonds
• 3/4 cup unbleached flour
• 3/4 cup golden marzipan
• 1 cup salted butter
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup sour cherries
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix ground almonds, flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Chop the marzipan into tiny 1/4" cubes and mix carefully with the dry ingredients so that each little cube is coated and separate. Set the bowl aside.

In another bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add the egg white and the almond extract and mix until mixture is pale and fluffy.

Use a wooden spoon to stir the flour and marzipan mixture into the butter mixture with the cherries. Bring the dough together into a ball with your hands, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Separate dough into 1" round balls and place on baking sheets at 2" apart. Bake until cookies turn a light golden color. Leave to set in the pan for a minute before moving onto racks to finish cooling.

Nothing represents the arrival of the Christmas holiday to our family more than this cookie!

I love almonds and cherries, and there's something undeniably Christmas-y about the combination. This recipe utilizes a method where marzipan pieces melt into the cookie dough in a gooey, puffy fashion.

Use sweetened, dried sour cherries, which are now readily available in the baking sections of supermarkets. They're a very different beast from glacÇ cherries, and retain a tart bite and juicy plumpness, which is a brilliant contrast to the sweet marzipan and sugary cookie dough. Ground almonds and egg whites give these a near-macaroon texture. They're light and have a lovely crisp on the outside texture with a slightly gooey, squashy centre--absolutely irresistible.

Holiday Persimmon Cookies
Dr. William K. Haley

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup persimmon pulp
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon. salt
• 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dates

Mix sugar and oil. Add persimmon pulp and egg to mixture. Sift together baking powder and soda, flour, salt, and spices, and then add to mixture. Add vanilla, walnuts, raisins and dates and stir.

Drop on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes.

This is a recipe that was handed down in my mother's family. My mother used to make these cookies when I was a teenager growing up. When I moved up to Guerneville to go to Sonoma State, I told my mother that I had a persimmon tree in the back yard, and she said, don't you remember, I have the best persimmon cookie recipe, and she sent me this recipe.

I have kept this recipe since 1975. When I bought a house in Pleasant Hill, this house had a persimmon tree in the back yard. My mom had moved up to Martinez after my father died in an automobile accident, and when she saw the persimmon tree, she said remember that persimmon cookie recipe.

Well, years had passed since then, and last month my mom moved in with my wife and I at 88 years of age. I heard the announcement on Dining Around, and told my mom that I still had that recipe, and I was going to submit it, and one of my patients, an 85-year-old grandmother, told me she had a persimmon tree, and has given us some persimmons; and I am hoping that I have the honor to be selected and bring my wife and mom to the contest.

Judy's Favorites
Judy Bridgeman

• 1 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup mincemeat
• 2-4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat over to 350.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a greased 9" x 11" oblong pan. Bake about 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cool and cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar. Store in airtight container.

My great-grandmother used to make these on the homestead in Minnesota in the late 1800s. The recipe has been a family favorite for over 100 years and passed down from generation to generation. They were my favorite at the holiday time and soon became known as "Judy's Favorites." This year I will be making them with my granddaughter (she is 3).

Chocolate Malted Milk Cookies
Brenda Belden

• 2 cups flour, less three tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups chocolate malted milk powder
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon melted butter (cooled)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 generous cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking powder and unsweetened chocolate in small bowl, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix melted butter and chocolate malted milk powder; beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.

Gradually add flour mixture; beat until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill dough until firm and easy tohandle.

Scoop out rounded teaspoonfuls of dough and roll into balls with your hands.

Place dough balls on greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Optional: roll dough balls in sifted powdered sugar before baking; dust again while still warm.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 minutes (cookie should be firm in center). Cool on racks.

I found the basis for this recipe in a spiral-bound notebook that my grandma made for my mom as a wedding shower gift in 1951. The notebook is filled with my grandma's handwritten recipes, as well as recipes she cut from newspapers and magazines. My brothers and I learned to bake using these recipes, and our favorites are easy to spot, as those pages are decorated with food stains. More than 50 years later one can see that the recipe book, with tattered, dog-eared pages, is and was a well-loved treasure.

My grandma's handwritten recipe intrigued me for many reasons. First, it was something grandma liked to make. Secondly, near the top of the page is a message from grandma that exclaims "No sugar!" Lastly, grandma wrote a note at the bottom of the page that reads "Helen's wartime favorite." I also marveled at the challenges of baking in an era where butter and sugar were rationed. Fortunately, creative homemakers like my grandma found a way to make satisfying desserts for their families.

While I did modify grandma's recipe to suit my chocolate addiction I kept the ingredients simple, as in the original recipe, and used ingredients that might have been staples in grandma's pantry. The result is delicious!

French Chocolate Almond Macaroons
Barbara Allen

• 1-1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 cups almond flour OR 4 ounces almonds, finely ground
• 3 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Sift confectioners sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Whisk in ground almonds and set aside. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and mark circles as a guide for piping out cookies by tracing around a 1-1/2 inch cookie cutter with a non-toxic marking pen.

In bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy; add salt. Gradually add granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until whites reach medium-soft peaks. Transfer to a large bowl.

Sprinkle half the sugar-almond mixture over egg white mixture. Using large rubber spatula, fold in almond mixture until just incorporated. Add vanilla and remaining sugar-almond mixture, folding until just incorporated. Firmly tap bottom of bowl on counter or work surface to eliminate any air pockets.

Transfer mixture to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip. Pipe mixture into marked circles on prepared baking sheet.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until macaroons feel slightly firm to touch and can be gently lifted off the parchment (the bottoms will be dry), 20-25 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer parchment and macaroons to wire rack to cool completely. Using a small offset spatula, carefully remove macaroons from parchment.

While cookies are cooling, make filling: place chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan just until it starts to simmer; pour over chocolate. Let mixture sit one minute, then stir until melted. Let stand at room temperature until chocolate ganache is thick enough to spread.

Spread 2 teaspoons chocolate ganache on flat side of half the macaroons; sandwich the other halves, keeping the flat sides to the center of the cookies. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. After chilling to firm, I prefer to serve them at room temperature.

Makes 30 sandwich cookies.

For medical reasons, I have not been able to eat sugar for nearly 20 years. But that does not stop me from satiating my sweet tooth vicariously!!

On family events that call for each guest to bring a dish to share, I am always asked to bring cookies. My family knows that I still love to bake, even though I can't partake. So I am always looking for new cookie recipes to share, and get an opinion on since I can't personally taste them.

Two summers ago I made these French chocolate almond macaroons for our annual Tahoe reunion. When my sister-in-law bit into one her face lit up, her eyes widened, and she nearly screamed "This is the best cookie I have ever tasted!" That was the first of many such experiences I have had in baking this cookies for friends. The rest is history... and here I am.

Drunken Pear Meringues
Nancy Brier

For the drunken pears:

• 1 pear, not too ripe, peeled and diced
• 3 tablespoons rum, plus a shot for the chef
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
• 1 tablespoon apple cider
• 1 peppercorn
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 sprig lavender

For the cookie meringues:

• 1/2 cup ground walnuts (dusty, not paste-like)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon minced lavender
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• shaved dark chocolate

1. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. In a saucepan, combine the ingredients for the drunken pears and bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat until the liquid reduces to a syrup consistency (about 10 minutes). Cool. Remove the herbs and peppercorn.

3. Meanwhile, for the meringues, combine ground walnuts, powdered sugar, and herbs in a small bowl.

4. Beat eggs whites, tartar, and salt until the mixture is almost stiff. Slowly add sugar and the extracts and beat again 'til sugar dissolves. Then fold in the walnut mixture.

5. Pipe or scoop the meringue onto the cookie sheets, topping each with a sliver of chocolate and a pear.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and allow the cookies to cool in the oven for an hour longer. Store any unused cookies loosely.

What to do with all these walnuts, I asked myself shortly after moving to Lake County from San Francisco. We found the orchard on the Internet and on a whim decided to make a lifestyle change. Trees stretch out in all directions, acres of them, each one dropping thousands of nuts, which roll and crunch underfoot. No one in the family knows what to do with the tractor, although we're pretty sure it has something to do with the farming process. Our only hope is that the squirrels take more than their share.

Meanwhile, I developed this cookie recipe. It uses eggs from our neighbor, lavender from the lawn of the Upper Lake library, pears from a new friend down the road, thyme from our garden, and of course, plenty of walnuts. Add some rum, a splash of balsamic and a tease of chocolate, and it makes an interesting cookie.

Over the Top Chocolate Mint Cookies
Lynn Burns

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (yes, an entire pound)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1-3/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon good quality vanilla
• 5-6 York peppermint patties, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup toasted nuts

Combine flour, baking powder, salt. Melt chocolate with butter, cool to lukewarm. Beat sugar and eggs until thick. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in flour, then candy and nuts. Chill until firm.

Drop by 2T onto parchment covered cookie sheets (I use a small ice cream scoop). Bake just until tops are dry and cracked--about 12-13 minutes.

Started out as a recipe using Heath Bars, but I converted for the holidays and has become a great fave! BEWARE: extremely delicious, fattening and addictive!

Russian Christmas Walnut Horns (Kifli)
Nancy Diaz

Dough:

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 package dry yeast
• 1 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Filling:

• 2 cups finely ground walnuts
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour combined, to use to roll out dough

Sift flour, measure 2-1/2 cups and sift again with salt into a large mixing bowl. Add yeast to flour and mix to distribute evenly. With a pastry blender, cut butter into flour until mixture looks like cornmeal.

Separate two eggs. Beat whites until stiff, but not dry. Set aside.

Beat yolks until thick and light colored. Blend 1/4 cup of sour cream to yolks. Add blended mixture to flour. Fold 1/4 cup of sour cream into beaten egg whites. Add this to dough and mix thoroughly. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes.

Make filling while dough is chilling.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead quickly until dough is very smooth and soft. Form dough into baseball sized balls. Keep one out to start and put remaining dough balls in the refrigerator to use one at a time.

To assemble cookies:

Mix 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup sugar. Sprinkle board with this mixture. Roll out dough to less than 1/4 inch thick. With pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut rolled dough into 2 inch squares. Put a spoonful of walnut filling in the center of each square. Bring one corner of dough to center, then overlap with the opposite dough corner. Press to secure so the corners won't open while baking. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in 350 F oven for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool. Sprinkle lightly with sifted powdered sugar. Delicious!

These cookies have been a Christmas staple in my family since I was a child. My father found the recipe and made them every year at Christmas time. Anyone who came to the house around the holidays expected to sample these cookies.

When Dad stopped making kifli, I decided I would continue the tradition and have been making them for many years now. These cookies are so special to us that my daughter chose to make kifli for a class project she had about a family holiday food tradition. Everyone in my famiy looks forward to having these cookies and I know you will enjoy them as much as we do. In our house, it's not officially Christmas until the kifli are done!

Basler Laeckerli
Kristi Dommen

• 1-1/4 cups honey
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons mixed candied orange and lemon peel (diced into small cubes)
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped unblanched almonds
• 1 lemon rind, grated
• 1/3 cup kirsch
• 4 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Sugar Glaze

• 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup water

Dough

Warm the honey over a water bath until runny; add the almonds and sugar and stir until the sugar is melted. Add the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Sift the flour, soda, and baking powder together and add half of the flour mix to the honey mixture; stir to blend well. Stir in the candied peel, lemon rind, and kirsch. Stir in the remaining flour to form cohesive dough. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add just enough flour to keep it from sticking. Dough will be soft but can be handled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter and flour 2 rimless baking sheets.

Divide the dough into two equal parts; then take each half of the dough and roll directly on the two already prepared baking sheets, into rectangles approximately 10 by 12 inches and about one centimeter thick, one rectangle per sheet.

Bake one sheet at a time.

Sugar Glaze

When both sheets are baked, prepare glaze. Heat the powdered sugar with 1/2 cup water in saucepan, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil sugar syrup until it spins a thread (230 degrees F.). Pour half of the sugar syrup over each cake while cake is still warm.

Glazing

Rewarm the cake that was baked first for 3 minutes at 375 degree F. Spread 1/2 glaze to cover cake evenly, but thinly. Repeat with other cake. Allow icing to set completely, ideally overnight, as it will cut more neatly.

Cutting

Using a sharp knife, trim off the crusty outer edges. Cut the Leckerli into narrow bars, about one inch wide and two inches long.

Over 20 years ago, I worked as a chauffeur for a family owned bakery in Stans, Switzerland. My job was to deliver freshly baked goods to homes, restaurant, closters and hotels. Not only did I learn the language and culture, but also learned how foods, traditions, and family values are intertwined. Though these cookies are not from the area I lived and worked in (they are from Basel area), they have become my sons' favorite because of their chewy, hearty texture. They travel well, even in a Camelback, and are a yummy snack during a long bike ride. They improve with age, if they last long enough!

Spirited Eggnog Drops
Adrienne Foster

• 1 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups fresh dairy eggnog*
• 1/4 cup brandy or dark rum*
• 1-1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

*Eggnog and brandy could be substituted with Pennsylvania Dutch eggnog

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Blend in vanilla and eggnog. Add chopped nuts. Sift together baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and flour; add to eggnog mixture and blend.

Drop by tablespoons on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.

In addition to my mother's entry, I'd like to submit another recipe for 2009 Holiday Cookie Exchange myself. I've been a finalist before and really enjoyed participating, even when I didn't win.

This is a recipe I've been experimenting with for a few years now and is a variation of one my Grandma Rosie used. Trying to keep in mind your preference for recipes with unique ingredients, I would like to enter my recipe for Spirited Eggnog Drops.

My father has always been a big fan of eggnog, and I'm always on the lookout for a new recipe to try around the holidays. When I tried the one in the Mrs. Fields cookbook I was so disappointed in the results, which ran on the cookie sheet while in the oven. I've been playing around with this other one, to see how it will work with slight variations. They are soft and cake-like in their texture.

I hope you'll consider Spirited Eggnog Drops for this year's cookie exchange. I'd love to participate again.

For the Ladies
Laurel Hilton

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
• Meyer lemon curd (recipe below)
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• candied cherries or Jelly Bellies for decorating

Meyer Lemon Curd

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
• 1/2 cup butter, cut in pieces

Cookies

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Ready a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg, followed by vanilla and lemon zest. Mix in dry ingredients.

By teaspoonful, roll into small balls. Place on sheet and indent with thumb. (Alternatively, roll the logs until they are less than one inch thick; then refrigerate, and slice thick before thumb-printing.)

Fill indentation with Meyer lemon curd, being careful not to overfill.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

When cool, decorate with candied cherry pieces to resemble holly.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Stir together juice, zest, sugar and eggs in heatproof bowl. Set bowl in pan of simmering water. Add butter. Stir constantly until thickened, about 6 minutes. Should be at 160 degrees. Set aside.

When my mother passed away, the recipe for this unnamed cookie was not to be found. This delicate butter cookie was carefully crafted by my mother. As a child, when I asked what they were, she said, "They're for the ladies."

Now, they're not for the grandchildren; they remain "For the Ladies."

Caramel Nut Bars
Adele Yare

• 6 cups nuts--mix of hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans, halved
• 1 one lb. box graham crackers
• 1/2 lb. unsalted butter
• 10 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 cup packed sweetened shredded coconut

Caramel

• 4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine sugar, cream of tartar, salt and water in wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan, at least 3" deep. Place over high heat. Let cook, without stirring, until some sugar begins to melt and turns golden, 2-5 min. Reduce heat to medium; continue to cook, stirring occasionally until all sugar is melted, the mixture is deep golden, and candy thermometer reads 300 degrees (hard crack stage). While stirring pour the cream slowly down the side of the pan. When cream is incorporated, remove from heat, transfer to a heatproof bowl.

Preheat over 350 degrees. Toast nuts on baking sheet till golden, 10 min. Cool.

Line an 11" x 18" rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Using a food processor or rolling pin, finely crush graham crackers. Place in medium bowl, stir in melted butter, press mixture into the bottom of pan in an even layer. Sprinkle chocolate over the graham crackers, sprinkle the coconut over the chocolate, sprinkle the cooled nuts over coconut.

Using a microwave or double boiler, heat caramel until liquid. Drizzle caramel over nuts. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 3/4" x-1 1/4" bars.

This recipe was developed by my sister Rhoda years ago. The original is rather ordinary and she started experimenting. Each holiday season we'd try her latest effort. About 10 years ago she hit on the perfect combination.

We each make about seven different kinds of very special cookies, double recipes. We meet at my sister-in-law's home to switch one recipe of each. We go home with 14 different kinds of cookies to be used as gifts and holiday desserts. This tradition was started by our Mother after WWII. She'd switch cookies with a cousin. Rhoda and I have continued the tradition for the last 25 years. We have some of Mom's cookie recipes and some of our own. The more things change the more they stay the same. We are the YARE SISTERS!!!

 

Baharat Shortbread
David Carter

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Baharat spice blend (recipe follows)

Baharat Spice Blend
Used in Middle Eastern cooking, this is a great dry rub for kebabs or a tri-tip roast. The mixed spices will keep for up to 6 months.

• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
• 2-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon paprika

Combine all the ingredients together till well mixed. Store in an airtight jar and keep away from direct sunlight.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Whip butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Stir in the confectioners sugar, cornstarch, flour and spices. Beat on low for one minute, then on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Drop cookies by spoonfuls (I use a 1.5T scoop) 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Watch that the edges don't brown too much. Cool on wire racks.

While working on a series of meat marinades, I had a quantity of the Baharat mixture left over. It struck me that it would make an interesting addition to shortbread. Instead of traditional shortbread, this recipe creates a softer, more melt-in-your-mouth type of cookie. The cookie is not "too sweet"; it is reminiscent of the holidays, yet the savory elements create further dimension.

Grand Prize Winner, 2009
Cedernbrot
Carl Kuhn

Cookies

• 1-1/2 lb. chopped almonds
• 1 lb. superfine sugar
• 3 egg whites
• Rind of 2 lemons
• Juice of 1 medium size lemon

Icing

• Lemon juice
• Powdered sugar

Chop almonds medium fine. I use a food processor to chop, then sift through a colander with approximately 1/8" holes, re-chopping pieces left behind.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar gradually, then lemon juice, lemon rind and nuts. Mix by hand or with a large spoon.

The consistency of the mix at this point is, ultimately, critical. The mix should not be sloppy nor should it be exceptionally dry. It will not be dry enough to roll out until it has been refrigerated for approximately 24 hours. Even though you may be able to roll it out after refrigeration, a thinner mix will still cause the cookies to "spread" excessively while baking. A thicker mix is preferable and can be achieved by adding more nuts if it is too soft.

Refrigerate 24 hours.

Roll out mixture to approximately 1/4" thickness. Use powdered sugar to help prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. A refrigerated marble rolling pin and cutting board are ideal.

Classically, Cedernbrot are cut in the shape of crescent moons with an approximately 2-1/2" round cookie cutter.

Bake on a buttered cookie sheet or on parchment in a 350 degree oven for 10-11 minutes. Cookies should just begin to brown slightly.

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet before attempting to move, as they will be soft and breakable. Then remove with a sharp spatula.

Allow to cool completely before icing.

Mix lemon juice and powdered sugar to a fairly thick consistency for spreading. Apply to top of cookies with a small knife or spatula and allow to set.

Good luck and Guten Appetit!

This recipe was from "Grossmutter Hall," referring to the grandmother of my father, who was trained as a pastry chef in Schwabisch Hall in Southern Germany. My father told many stories of his training as an apprentice and how, if the Cedernbrot were not of the proper consistency, his "teacher" would squeeze one of his ears between two rings, require his parents to pay for the damaged ingredients and then still sell the cookies as "seconds." Thus, the emphasis on consistency of the mix!

My father migrated to the Americas at age 18 and worked as a pastry chef in Rio de Janeiro and at the Biltmore in Los Angeles before moving to San Francisco. As a child my sister and I would help mom and dad bake a multitude of different cookies each Christmas. Many of these were sent back to his relatives in Germany. Of all the candies, cakes and cookies, however, Cedernbrot were the unanimous favorite.

Pumpkin Cranberry Zingers
Yuri Shimamoto

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, egg and pumpkin. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into mixture until well blended. Cut the cranberries in half and stir into mixture along with the orange zest and walnuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

My mother-in-law is a fanatic of your cookie exchange contest. From January 1st, we begin the hunt for new recipes. We search high and low, from garage sale cook books and magazines, to the library. This year I was inspired by my new culinary love--pumpkin. I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin cheesecake--so why not pumpkin cookies? I baked these up and they were fantastic!

Kathe's Chocolate Walnut Lemon Cheese Bars
Kathe Mullin

Crust:

• 1/2 box Nabisco "Famous" chocolate wafer cookies
• 1/2 cup butter (melted)
• 1 cup Lake County walnuts

Combine crust ingredients in a food processor, and process until it forms a crumb consistency. Press into an 8x11 inch pan (similar sized pan may be used).

Bake crust in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Filling:

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• Zest from one lemon
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 16 oz. tub of cream cheese

Put all ingredients in the food processor and "Let it rip"! This needs to get lots of air in it, so let it run for 3-5 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees, and pour the filling over the hot crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the middle sets and the top gets a slight golden brown.

Take out the cookies and let them cool (completely). This takes 3-4 hours. Cut into 1x1.5 inch bars.

Enjoy!

Coconut Cranberry Chews
Dennis McDowell

• 1-1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3-1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
• 1-1/2 cup dried cranberries

In a large bowl mix at medium speed, butter, sugar, vanilla, and orange peel until smooth.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend until smooth. Add cranberries and coconut.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until slightly brown.

Let cool 5 minutes and then place on racks.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Gramma's Sugar Cookies
Pam Shukait

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cups sour cream
• 1 cup shortening
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• grated orange rind (one orange worth)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs for 1 minute, adding sugar a little at a time. Dissolve shortening and soda, in the sour cream, then add the sour cream to the egg mixture. Combine the rest of the ingredients slowly. Chill dough. Roll out the dough, cut shapes, sprinkle with festive sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes depending upon how thick or thin you roll them.

I like the orange taste, so I use the whole orange. I roll the cookies on the thick side so they are soft and chewy; if you like yours crisper, roll them thinner. The thicker cookies won't brown too much and the thinner cookies brown more quickly, so watch them!

Nonni Mary's Cookies
Elise Tonelli

• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons almond flavoring
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat eggs and add sugar gradually. Add salt, cinnamon and the baking powder to the flour, then add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Add the almond flavoring. Dough will be stiff; roll on floured board, cut off the pieces of the dough and make long rolls about a foot long and one inch around. Cut off one-inch-thick pieces.

Place on floured tray or cookie sheet. Cover with wax paper or a light towel. Leave overnight to be baked the next day. Pieces should be baked on parchment about two inches apart--they spread. Bake at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Rudolph's Cranberry Snapz
Michele Byron

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon orange peel, finely shredded
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-2/3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger

Pecan Topping: Combine 1/2 cup cranberries, 1/2 cup pecans, 3 tablespoons sour cream, 2 tablespoons caramel topping. Chill until ready to use.

Orange Glaze: In a small bowl stir together 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons orange juice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat brown sugar and butter until creamy. Add eggs, cranberries, ginger, orange peel and vanilla and beat until combined. In a medium bowl combine flour, pecans, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, ginger and salt.

Gradually beat flour mixture into the butter mixture. Mix until well combined. Drop dough 4 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly. Spoon 1 teaspoon of pecan topping onto the center of each unbaked cookie. Bake 12-13 min. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Cool completely. Drizzle with orange glaze.

As an American growing up in London, my husband fondly remembers eating ginger cookies with afternoon tea. We have enjoyed making and eating ginger cookies for years--but deciced they needed a "twist" for the holidays. They are a family favorite--and yes, with a "spot of tea."

German Chocolate Cookie
Rochelle Wattz

• 1 lb. butter, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 cups brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup bakers sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 2 cups toasted oatmeal
• 2 cups toasted pecans
• 2 cups coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix together oatmeal, pecans and coconut. Toss with 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.

3. Pour onto cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

4. Cool mixture.

5. In mixer beat together butter, brown sugar, and bakers sugar. After 5 minutes, add vanilla, then eggs.

6. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

7. Add and mix well.

8. Fold in oatmeal, pecan coconut mixture and chocolate and white chips too.

9. Bake in pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

10. Cool on cold surface to set cookie.

Every year I bake a German chocolate cake for my husband. One year for Christmas I decided to improvise and make these cookies for everyone. They were a hit and we have them every year.