Holiday Swirl Shortbread

Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened

2 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon Betty Crocker™ green gel food color

STEPS1. In large bowl, beat softened butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla with spoon until well mixed. Stir in flour until blended. Knead 5 to 10 times or until dough is smooth.

2. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Place 2 pieces of dough into 2 small bowls. To one bowl, add green food color; stir or knead to mix color thoroughly into dough. Repeat with red food color and second piece of dough.

3. Cut each of the 3 doughs in half. Take one half of each of the doughs, and press together into a ball. Gently knead to mix colors (don’t overwork dough or it will lose marbling). Shape into a roll, 6 inches long by 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Spread 1 tablespoon sparkling sugar on plastic wrap; roll log to cover. Wrap dough log tightly with plastic wrap. Repeat forming,shaping and rolling with remaining dough pieces. Refrigerate about 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm.

1/2 teaspoon Betty Crocker™ red gel food color

2 tablespoons coarse sparkling white sugar

4. Heat oven to 350°F. Unwrap 1 of the dough logs; cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet, reshaping if necessary.

5. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Unwrap remaining dough log, and repeat slicing and baking. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store covered in airtight container.

Easy Spritz Flowers

INGREDIENTS

1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

1 tablespoon Betty Crocker™ Decorating Decors Jingle Mix nonpareils (from 2.1-oz container)

38 maraschino cherries, drained well, patted dry, cut in half

STEPS1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, melted butter, almond extract and egg until dough forms. Stir in nonpareils.

2. Place 1 3/4-in flower design disk in cookie press. Place dough in press; press dough through, and press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Place halved cherry in center. Repeat with remaining dough and cherries. (Keep dough covered with plastic wrap while not using to prevent drying out.)

3. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are set but not brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

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Classic Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 egg

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

STEPS1. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the almond extract and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Divide dough in half; shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2. Heat oven to 375°F.

3. Roll each disk on lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts at least 2 inches apart.

2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda 4. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.

5. In medium bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too sti� to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with colored sugar or candy sprinkles. Let stand about 4 hours or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Cookies

3 cups powdered sugar

3 to 5 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting

Food colors, if desired

Colored sugar or candy sprinkles, if desired

Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

STEPS

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder until dough forms.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in additional granulated sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press 1 milk chocolate candy in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Additional granulated sugar

About 36 Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates, unwrapped

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M&M’s™ Pudding Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 box (4-serving size) Jell-O™ vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix

STEPS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until flu�y; scrape side of bowl. Beat in dry pudding mix. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Stir in chocolate candies and white chips until blended.

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups green and red M&M's® milk chocolate candies

1 cup white vanilla baking chips

4. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

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