Vanilla Cut-Out {Ausstecherle} & Linzer Cookies {#dairyfree #recipe} plus Winter break fun

Are you ready for the big day? One more day to go and yes,  there is still time for another cookie recipe to be shared and another cookie to be baked.  This is one is super easy plus the dough makes not only super delicious, fun cut-outs, but also - if you want - more Linzer Cookies.  Plus they are easy, and oh so much fun to make with kids.

Yesterday was the first official day of winter break here in PDX; and I can honestly say that we spent it very leisurely.  I am in a holiday mode as in relaxing mode so not in the mood for doing anything along the lines of the zoo, or OMSI.  More like a leisurely walk up Mt. Tabor but - surprise surprise - neither of the girlies felt like walking up Mt. Tabor, not even the playground was enticing.  Dang, and I thought it was such a fantastic idea.  Instead of my stellar idea we drove downtown, met Ron for lunch at Potbelly (the girls order their sandwich without cheese and it is "safe) and afterwards I took the girls to the Pittock Mansion.  Not sure what I was thinking as I still had hopes of taking a nice long walk and  the walk around the mansion was just not enough; however we peeked through windows to see the beautifully dressed rooms, and enjoyed the view.  Okay truth I enjoyed the truth and MiaRose kept saying "this is boring"….HA here you have the plain truth…she thought it was boring.  Yup - and I could not entice either of them to hike down one of the fantastic trails.  Our next stop - the Rose Garden playground; still fun for both girls and then I saw it.  Yes the trail leading up to the Rose Garden and formed my "evil" plan…The girls played for a while and when they were ready to leave showed them the trail.  Oh yes, it worked like a charm - Alena loves walking but MiaRose is not always a fan…but it worked.  Yup,  we took the trail to the Rose Garden and had fun even MiaRose….

Back home it was time to make our cookies to finish up the first day of winter break.  This is my Mom's recipe the only change is that instead of butter we are using vegan butter to make it dairy free.

Vanilla Sugar Cookie Dough

• 1 stick Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)
• 1 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 vanilla bean scraped out (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 3 C flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

1. Cream together margarine, with eggs, sugar and vanilla until well combined
2. In a separate bowl combine flour with baking powder
3. Slowly add flour to the margarine until everything comes together into a dough
4. Divide dough into two parts and wrap each into plastic wrap.  Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

To make the  cut-outs

• Vanilla Sugar Cookie Dough 
• 1 egg yolk plus 1 tsp of water mixed
• sprinkles
• your favorite cut-out shapes

*** prehet oven to 375 F - line baking sheet with parchment paper ***

1. Roll out the dough
2. Cut out cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheet
3. Brush egg yolk over each cookie; decorate them with sprinkles
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes

The Linzer Cookies almost as easy - the only added step is to fill them

Linzer  Vanilla Cookies

• Vanilla Sugar Cookie Dough
• 3 Tb your favorite jam - couple of drops of water
• 1 Tb powered sugar for garnish

*** Preheat oven to 375 F - Line baking sheet with parchment paper ***

1. Roll out half of the dough and using a Linzer cookie cutter - leaving out the insert - cut out the bottom rounds.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 - 10 minutes
2. While the bottoms are baking cut out the tops by placing the cut-outs inside of the Linzer cookie cutter. Bake tops for about 8 - 10 minutes
3. While the bottom and tops cool down, stir jam together with a drop or two of water.  
4. When cookies are cooled down spread a layer of jam on the bottom cookie then place the top on it. 
5. Once all cookies are assembled sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Hazelnut Chocolate Lebkuchen Squares {#dairyfree #recipe #cookie #gingerbread}

How was your weekend?  Ours was quite lovely filled with lots of baking, cooking and we may have never left the house on Saturday.  Heck, I may just come right out and admit that we actually never made it out of PJs on Saturday…ahm yes, maybe this is not something that should be admitted but it is true.  The girls and I spent the entire Saturday in our PJs baking, cooking, cutting stars for the window plus we watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  On Sunday we actually made it out of the door; never moved the car  (and yes, I am proud of that) and took a nice Solstice walk to Por Que No?and New Seasons Market.

One of the treats my assistant (MiaRose) and I made yesterday were these delicious little Hazelnut Chocolate Lebkuchen Squares.  They are delicious, maybe not pretty but super delicious...

Hazelnut Chocolate Lebkuchen Squares

• 1-3/4 stick Earth Balance (7/8 C) - (or your favorite vegan "butter")
• 1-2/3 C powdered sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tb rum
• 3 oz dark chocolate
• 3 oz. shelled hazelnuts
• 2 C flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1 Tb Lebkuchen spice mix
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For glaze

• 3/4 C powdered sugar
• 3 Tb OJ
• Sprinkles

*** Preheat oven to 350 F - prepare a 8"x11" baking dish***

1. Cream Earth Balance together with powdered sugar until well combined
2. Add eggs, and rum and beat until everything comes together
3. In the meantime grind the chocolate and the hazelnuts
4. Add chocolate/hazelnut meal to the eggs/margarine mixtures and mix in well
5. In a separate bowl combine flour with baking powder, salt, and spices. Slowly add - 1/2 C at a time - the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Do not over mix.
6. Pour dough into the prepared baking dish, smoothing out the top with a spatula.  Bake in preheated oven for about 35 - 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and let it cool off.  Place Lebkuchen on a icing (cooling) rack
8. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar with OJ until it turns into a smooth paste.  Pour the glaze over the Lebkuchen and spread it with a baking brush.  Top with sprinkles.  Let glaze dry.
9. Once glaze is dry cut Lebkuchen into squares and place in cookie tin.

Enjoy!

Linzer Lebkuchen Cookies #dairyfree #recipe

I just realized that Christmas Eve is just four days away..yes,  hello earth to Bea where have I been all this time.  Only four short days away and there are still many more cookies that I want to make.  Thinking about Haselnussmakronen (hazelnut macaroons) Zimtsterne, plain Ausstecherle (cut outs) with the girls, coconut macaroons plus more Lebkuchen inspired cookies…Oh so little time but so many plans; let's see how many of these will make it out of the kitchen in time.  Good news is that today is a super dreary, rainy day here in Portland which makes it the perfect day for spending it in the kitchen baking with my girlies.

Today let me tell you about the Linzer Lebkuchen Cookies I made yesterday.  Remember the Lebkuchen cookie dough from earlier in the week?  You know, one dough makes at least two types of cookies…let me present you with part two  Linzer Lebkuchen Cookies - their name should be more like Linzer inspired Lebkuchen cookies since I filled them with cherry jam and not raspberry jam since cherry was in the house…Take a look - it seems like this girl (me) finally achieved a cookie that is pleasing to the eye. HA - finally a pretty looking cookie that is also absolutely delicious….

Linzer Lebkuchen Cookies

• 1/2 portion Lebkuchen cookie dough (or the entire recipe)
• 3 Tb your favorite jam - couple of drops of water
• 1 Tb powered sugar for garnish

*** Preheat oven to 375 F - Line baking sheet with parchment paper ***

1. Roll out half of the dough and using a Linzer cookie cutter - leaving out the insert - cut out the bottom rounds.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes
2. While the bottoms are baking cut out the tops by placing the cut-outs inside of the Linzer cookie cutter. Bake tops for about 10 minutes
3. While the bottom and tops cool down, stir jam together with a drop or two of water.  
4. When cookies are cooled down spread a layer of jam on the bottom cookie then place the top on it. 
5. Once all cookies are assembled sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Lebkuchen-Marzipan Bites | one dough for two types of #dairyfree #cookies

My our house smells of Lebkuchen from treats made with my Lebkuchen spice mix - to me it is the scent of Christmas.  It seems that there is just not enough time between making everything and sharing it; so yes, once again I am behind.  I promise however no less than three different delicious Lebkuchen treats.

First let me share this super easy Lebkuchen spiced dough - this dough leads itself to endless versions of cookies from simple cut-outs to more elaborate versions.  One portion of the dough will yield either a lot of one type of cookie, or if you are like me two different versions.  Yes,  I am "talking" too much - the girlies always tell me that too - just get to the point Mom  Bea.  Okay, okay, okay I absolutely get the message.

Lebkuchen Spiced Cookie Dough

• 1 stick Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine)
• 2 eggs
• 1 C sugar
• 3 C flour
• 2 tsp Lebkuchen spice mix
• 2 tsp baking powder

1. Cream together margarine, with eggs, and sugar until well combined
2. In a separate bowl combine flour with Lebkuchen spice and baking powder
3. Slowly add flour to the margarine until it all comes together into a dough
4. Divide dough into two parts and wrap each into plastic wrap.  Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Lebkuchen-Marzipan Bites

• 1/2 portion of Lebkuchen Spiced Cookie Dough
• app. 5oz Marzipan paste

*** Preheat oven to 375 - Line cookie sheet with parchment paper***

1. Roll out dough into three different long, flat pieces 
2. Cut three about 1" pieces of marzipan off and roll each into the same length as the dough.
3. Working one rolled out dough piece at a time, place marzipan roll into the dough then tightly roll the dough up around the Marzipan
4. Cut little angular about 1/2" big bites off and place pieces on the prepared cookie sheet
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes

Enjoy!

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl & Orange Almond Cookies #fbcookieswap {#dairyfree #vegan}

Are you ready for cookies?  I know everyone has been talking about cookies lately.  All types of cookies…and my family is quite happy that cookies are also in our house.  This is the time for all type of cookies and both girls reminded me that the cookie tins need to be refilled in a - not so - subtle reminder ;)  Yes,  they we have eaten our way through almost all the cookies  even so this year we had a extra treats because I participated in my first ever {yes absolutely true not just virtual but first ever} cookie swap.  As some of you may be able to appreciate a cookie swap is generally not something we can easily participate in because of our dietary restrictions….yes,  butter = milk ;);  this year is different as I am participating in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap . Bloggers from around the world participate and funds are raised for Cookies for Kids'Cancer plus one can matched up with other bloggers meeting specific dietary restriction i.e. dairy-free, vegan, etc.  Its is really wonderful….

We have received delicious vegan Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Oat cookies from Jacks & Nick from over at Happy to be a Table of Two;  super rich and putting one in chocolate heaven Cookie Biscotti Sticks from Shannon of Killer Bunnies, Inc.; and last but not least perfectly spiced Chocolate Chai cookies from Emilie of Loose Leaf Vegan.  Thank you all!  Pictures…ahmmmm sorry friends,  the cookies are all gone and yes, I have not taken pictures.

This blogger could not decide on which cookie to make, so I sent two.  Vanilla Chocolate Swirl - Alena's all time favorite; and Orange Almond Cookies.  Both cookies are not only dairy free but also vegan plus super quick and easy.  Yay, right?!  Now are you ready for them…oh and before I forget the pictures of Alena's favorite cookie after they are baked are pretty much non-existend right now but will soon make another appearance on Instagram

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl aka Alena's all time favorite cookie

• 3/4 C Margarine {I use Earth Balance}, softened
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1 Tb plain almond milk {or other milk}
• 2-1/4 C flour
• 3 Tb chocolate powder

1. Combine margarine, sugar, vanilla, pinch of salt, and milk until well combined.
2. Slowly add flour and combine until everything comes together into a dough
3. Divide dough in half; roll one part up into kitchen wrap and place in fridge
4. Add chocolate powder to the second part and well combined also roll it up into kitchen wrap.  
5. Let dough rest for about an hour in the fridge.
6. Preheat oven to 200 F - prepare baking sheet with parchment paper
7. On a kitchen board - combine pieces of the vanilla dough with the chocolate dough and roll up together.  Cut slices off the roll and place on prepared baking sheet.  
8. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes 

Orange Almond Cookies

• 3/4 C Margarine, softened
• 1-1/8 C powdered sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• grated peel of an untreated, organic orange
• 2-3 Tb orange juice
• 3 Tb Almond paste
• 3-1/8 C flour

1. Stir margarine until it has completely softened
2. Add powdered sugar as well as pinch of salt; stir until well combined.
3. Add orange peel, juice, together with Almond paste and stir until well combined
4. Stir in flour and combine into a dough
5. Combine dough into two parts, form into rolls, and wrap each roll into kitchen wrap.
6. Let dough rest in fridge for about an hour
7. Preheat oven to 325 F - prepare baking sheet with parchment paper
8. On a kitchen board cut slices off each roll and place on the prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake for about 12 minutes {depending on your oven} 

Almond Lemon scented Chocolate Chip #Cookies {#Dairyfree} & 2014 spring break

Here we are at the end of spring break and yet I have not filled you in about any of our little adventures.      The break has just flown by and it is hard to believe that school will be back in session on Monday.  Our highlight this spring break was our two night beach get away; yes a mini vacation at the amazing Oregon Coast.  When we go, we usually get a vacation home but this time we stayed for two nights at a hotel right on the beach in Cannon Beach.  Yes, literally there was nothing but a strip of grass as well as a seawall between us and the beach.  Heavenly…plus the whether - yes, it gets cold and rainy at the Oregon coast - was almost like summer.  Clear blue skies and sunshine inviting us to explore the tidal pools around Haystack Rock. In addition - and this was the highlight according to MiaRose - there is a nice pool which the kids enjoyed daily, plus great sea food. So yes,  our mini spring break get away was a huge success.  Take a look at some of pictures….

There were no further big adventures besides the girls tagging along to the Senior Center where they got to play Bingo while I saw clients at the Senior Law Clinic. Yes, the girls as well as the seniors enjoyed each others company :)

So now let's talk Chocolate Chip Cookies - one of my usual go to recipes are my Everything but the Kitchensink Cookies packed with oatmeal, seeds, raisins, and chocolate chips they are so good.  However MiaRose has decided - after having been a raisin lover for years - to despise raisins and she will not eat anything with raisins. I could have made the cookies without raisins but then there was the lack of oatmeal issue as well.  Yup, time for a new cookie and this is how this one came about.

Almond Lemon scented Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 stick Earth Balance {or other "butter"} cut into chunks
• 1/4 C sugar {regular white granulated}
• 1/2 C light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp almond extract
• zest of 1 untreated lemon
• 1 egg
• 1 C + 2 Tb flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips {check label}

 ***Preheat oven to 350F***

1. Cream "butter" with sugars and salt in a kitchen machine until well blended,
2. Add almond extract together with lemon zest mix for about a minute
3. Add egg and mix for about another minute
4. In a separate bowl mix flour with baking soda
5. Add flour/baking soda mixture to the wet ingredients.  Mix for about a minute until well combined.
6. Add chocolate chips to the dough
7. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Using two teaspoons drop balls of dough onto the baking sheet
9. Bake for about 10 minutes; and let them cool down

                                                                            Adapted from Marthas Stewart Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Enjoy!

Easy Pecan Cookies {#Vegan} & winter weather..

Yes,  this has been one crazy week here in Portland.  We had snow on Monday, well let me clarify that it was just a bit of a dusting of snow but enough to bring excitement to the kids.  If you do not live in Portland, you may not know that the slightest dusting of snow often will cause school to be cancelled but not this week.  On Tuesday morning it is icy and we get a 6 am call to let us know that school starts on time but on Wednesday it was foggy, icy and you know what?!  Yup school was cancelled.  Let me just say that my girls were not disappointed :)

Finally time to make some cookies aka Weihnachtsplätzchen in our house; yes, I am finally getting in the spirit...

These cookies are easy, delicious, and the dough is easily prepared ahead of time.

Easy Pecan Cookies

• 1-1/2 sticks Earth Balance at room temperature {or other vegan "butter"}
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 Tbl Almond Milk {or other milk of your choice}
• 3/4 C Pecan, ground to a meal 
• 2 C flour
• 1/4 C Pecan pieces

1. Cream margarine until it is soft then add,
2. Sugar, Vanilla, Salt, and Almond Milk.  Process {I use a kitchen stand mixer} until it all comes together then add,
3. Pecan meal and work it into the dough,
4. Add flour and knead until the dough comes together.
5. Cut the dough into two pieces and roll each piece into a long roll.  Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and set into fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes.
6. When ready for baking preheat oven to 375 F
7. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slice about 1/4" cookies with a knife from the dough roll and place on cookie sheet.  Top each cookie with 1-2 Pecan pieces and push them down gently into the dough.
8. Bake for about 10 - 12 minutes but be sure to check on them after 8 minutes.

Enjoy - the girls sure did  :)

Oatmeal Cookies w/ Raisins Chocolate Nuts {#Dairyfree} or Seeds

I have never, ever made Oatmeal Cookies...well, that is until this week.  This week I  we have made them twice. Yes, from never to twice just like that...I really wanted to name them "Everything but the Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies" as it is so much more appropriate.  So first why have I not made them before?  Well, honestly it never sounded that appealing to me.  So why out of a sudden?  Okay - rolled oats in bulk were on sale this week at New Season's Market so on a whim I decided to some.  Little did I know just how much we would all like Oatmeal Cookies....I found this fantastic recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Alena and I made the first batch - with walnut pieces; and Mia Rose and I made the second batch - with  pumpkin seeds.  They turned out fantastic - and the first batch did not last the night - and were quick and easy to make.  

Alena making Oatmeal Cookies

Everything but the Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies {#Dairyfree} - Rasins - Chocolate - Nuts/Seeds

Adpated from http://www.food.com/recipe/oatmeal-raisin-cookies-35813

   1 C  flour

1/2 tsp baking solda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

   1 stick {1/2 C} Vegan Margarine {I use Earth Balance} softened

1/2 C sugar

Everything but the Kitchen Sink Oatmeal cookies

1/2 C light brown sugar

    1    egg

    1 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 C rolled Oates

   1/2 C raisins

   1/3 C dairyfree chocolate chips {generous}

   1/4 C chopped walnuts, or any type of seeds 

***Preheat oven to 350F***

1. Mix together all the dry ingredients {flour through salt}

2. Cream together the margarine, sugars, egg, and vanilla

3. Add dry ingredients to the margarine/sugar/egg mixture at once.  Mix in until all the flour mixture is just incorporated {do not over mix}

4. Add Oates, raisins, chocolate chips, nuts and/or seeds. Carefully stir it in until just mixed.

5. Using a ice cream scooper - or two spoons - drop the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

    Leave plenty of space between each cookie

6. Bake for 11 minutes {until golden - do not over bake}

7. Take out of oven, let them cool down.

Enjoy!!!!

Pine Nut Cookies #Dairyfree #Eggfree

It is already on to the second week of advent and also time to bake more cookies for the family.  Today I we made Pine Nut Cookies.  This is a quick and easy recipe.  I prepared the dough in the morning, rolled it up to chill.  After school the girls cut and decorated them :)






I have been staying away from pine nuts and substituting walnuts this past year as the origin of them is sometimes questionable.  But when I saw them at Trader Joe's last week, I just could not pass the package up.  Ron will be quite happy because these are one of his favorite Christmas cookies.

Pine Nut Cookies
3/4 C vegan "butter" {I prefer Earth Balance sticks}
1/3 C sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
1 Tbl almond, soy, or hemp milk
3/4 C pine nuts and additional pine nuts reserved for decoration
2 C Flour

1. Grind pine nuts to a meal
2. Cream margarine in a mixer then slowly,
3. Add sugar, vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and "milk". Mix it well for 1-2 minutes; then
4. Add pine nut meal and mix it well for another minute or so.  Then,
5. Add flour and mix until a dough forms.
6. Separate dough into two or three parts.  Place each individually onto ceran wrap, before rolling each
    piece into a roll.
7. Place in fridge - and cool for at least an hour before baking
***Preheat oven to 375 F***
8. After dough is cooled - line cookie sheets with parchment paper and cut dough into individual rings  
   {medium to fine thickness}.  Decorate each cookie with reserved pine nuts
9. Bake for app. 10 minutes - they should be light golden; and cool them.
10. *Optional* Sprinkle powder sugar over the cooled off cookies

Place in cookie tin when they are completely cooled off {if they last that long}

Zimtsterne {Cinnamon Stars} #Dairyfree for #SundaySupper

I am so excited for this week's #SundaySupper as it is a virtual Cookie Exchange. This is pretty much - besides the occasional chocolate chip cookie - the only time of year I bake cookies and I really, really, really like it :)  The family enjoys it as well...I am bringing a traditional German cookie {or Weihnachtsbroetle as I call them} Zimtsterne. This is a different recipe from last year, and I think that this is the perfect one...nutty, spicy, with a hint of lemon, and just enough sweetness...The only thing is that they are not so beautiful, but trust me they are so good. Oh, and they are not only dairyfree, but also glutenfree. 

Zimtsterne {Cinnamon Stars}

Zimsterne {Cinnamon Stars} Dairyfree & Glutenfree

2-3/4 C whole Almonds {do not used blanched almonds}

3 Egg whites

1-1/2 C Sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

grated rind of 1/2 of an untreated lemon

1 Tbl. Cinnamon

1 Pinch ground cloves

1. Grate almonds to a meal {I use my food chopper & process it in   
   a couple of batches}
2. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt {it has to be very firm 
   test it with a knife and it is perfect if the cut is visible}
3. Slowly add sugar and beat carefully until the sugar is 
   dissolved, add lemon juice at the end
4. Add grated lemon rind, cinnamon, and ground cloves to the 
   almond meal. Carefully mix it all up, then
5. Reserve 4 Tbl of the egg whites and mix the rest carefully 
   under the almond/spice mixture to form a dough.
6. Sprinkle a little sugar on your working area before rolling
   out the dough {it will be quite sticky - you can also sprinkle
   some sugar on the top to roll it out a little easier}
7. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and then using a star
   shaped cookie cutter cut out the individual stars.  Place
   them on the cookie sheets.
***Preheat oven to 360 F***
8. Brush each cookie with the reserved egg whites {step 5}
9. Bake for app. 10 - 12 minutes.

Cool them down before packing them in a cookie tin.  Enjoy!

Zimtsterne {Cinnamon Stars} 

Now, grab your cup of tea, or coffee and take a look at the other cookies the rest of the #SundaySupper Team is bringing to our Cookie Exchange.

The Sunday Supper Favorite Cookie Exchange Cookies:

• Turtle Thumbprint Cookies by Cravings of a Lunatic 
• #glutenfree Almond Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by Cooking Underwriter
• Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies by The Foodie Army Wife
• M & M Cookies by Damn Delicious 
• Snowball Cookies by Small Wallet Big Appetite 
• Mocha Thumbprint Cookies by The Meltaways
• Cardamom-Walnut Cookies by Home Cooking Memories 
• Polish Chrusciki (Bow Ties) by Comfy Cuisine 
• Cherry Blossom Cookies by Flour on my Face
• Rosettes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake 
• Millionaire’s Shortbread by Gotta Get Baked 
• Double-the-Mint Chocolate Kiss Cookies by The Weekend Gourmet 
• Whole Wheat Cereal Cookies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings 
• Chocolate Dipped Potato Chip Shortbread Cookies by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen 
• Scories De Vulcan | Lava Stones Cookies by The Daily Dish Recipes
• Zimtsterne {Cinamon Stars} #Dairyfree by Galactosemia in PDX
• S’mores Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Book and Cooks
• Chocolate Whoppers by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Ricotta Cookies with White Chocolate Glaze Country Girl in the Village
• Turtles by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts 
• Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies! by I Run For Wine
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Toffee Cookies by The Urban Mrs.
• Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies by She likes ruffles, he likes truffles 
• Amaretto Almond Biscotti by Noshing With The Nolands
• Mexican Chocolate Cookies by Generation Y Foodie 
• Double Chocolate Peppermin Biscotti by Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Ice Cream Kolaczki by Cookistry
• Amoniaczki by What Smells So Good?
• Fruit and Nut Ice Box Cookies by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Ginger Bourbon Balls by girlichef
• Candy Cane Blossom Cookies by Mommas Meals 
• Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies by Lovely Pantry
• Ninja Bread Men by Diabetic Foodie 
• Peppermint Sugar Cookies by In The Kitchen With KP
• Christmas Crunchies by Magnolia Days
• Cream Cheese Swirled Red Velvet Cookies by Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Double Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies and Tips on Mailing Cookies by Chocolate Moosey
• Congo Bars by Supper for a Steal 
• Mint Surprise Cookies by The Cookie A Day Challenge
• Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies by Midlife Road Trip
• Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars by Shockingly Delicious
• Oreo Cheesecake Cookies by Baker Street 
• Biscoff Pillow Cookies by by The Messy Baker Blog
• Mexican Hot Cocoa Cookies by Juanita’s Cocina
• Raspberry Thumbprints for my first #SundaySupper!  by Kelly Bakes 
• Tea Biscuits by My Cute Bride
• Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies by Mama Mommy Mom 
• Lebanese Butter Cookies for the Christmas Season by The Catholic Foodie
• Almond Joy Macaroons by Cupcakes and Kale Chips 
• Gluten Free Coconut Fruit Nut Cookies by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz 
• Snowball Surprise Cookies by Family Foodie

Do you have a favorite cookie to take to a Cookie Exchange?  Please join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper on December 9th.  In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our #SundaySupper Ultimate Cookie Exchange live chat. For today's chat we have a special host, Janet Keeler, Food & Travel Editor for the Tampa Bay Times.  She is the author of Cookielicious and sure knows her cookies.  She will join us with tips on baking for the Ultimate Cookie Exchange and also answer  your baking questions.   Please join us for The Ultimate Cookie Exchange during #SundaySupper this week. Be sure to be there for our chat as we are giving away 5 signed copies of Cookielicious. It contains 150 fabulous cookies recipes to bake and share.

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

Hazelnut Macaroons #Dairyfree #Glutenfree {Haselnuss Makronen}

Another day, another cookie :)  -  I rarely bake cookies - well you know, besides the usual chocolate chip - during the rest of the year, so in December I make up for all those other non-baking times...

Did you know that over ninety percent of all hazelnuts grown in the United States are grown in Oregon?  Yup - so maybe I should call them the Oregon Special Cookie ;) The Hazelnut Macaroons are very nutty, with a nice crunch from the hazelnut on top.  Not too sweet - just right; well, at least by my book :)

Hazelnut Macaroons {Haselnuss Makronen}

Hazelnut Macaroons
3 Egg Whites
1 pinch of salt
1/2 C Sugar
Pinch of Cinnamon
2-3/4 C shelled hazelnuts
app. 1/2 C {or more} shelled hazelnuts for topping
1. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until very firm,
2. Grind 2-3/4 C of hazelnuts to "meal"
3. Add 1/4 C of sugar and continue beating for at least another two minutes.
4. Combine hazelnut meal, with remaining sugar, and pinch of cinnamon
5. Add hazelnut/sugar/cinnamon mixture to the egg whites. Carefully mix nuts under the egg white
    mixture
6. Line Baking sheet with parchment paper
7. Drop - using two teaspoons - hazelnut batter onto cookie sheets {individual little dollops}
8. When all the batter is used up, top each cookie with a hazelnut
*Preheat oven to 275 F
9. When oven is preheated bake for app. 25 minutes - take out of the oven and let them cool down
    before packing them into cookie tins...

Walnut Cookies #Dairyfree for #CookieDay (Walnussbroetle}

We are on a cookie baking roll...yes, we are.  This is the time of year we have dessert every single night after dinner.  Yes,  we are having cookies - it is the only time of year that dessert is standard in our house.  There is something magical about this time of year, and the scent of cookies in the air...

Today we made Walnut Cookies {Walnussbroetle} and Mia Rose was my after school helper.  This is a very easy recipe - but you need a little bit of time as the dough needs to rest in the fridge for at least an hour.  If you like walnuts, the wait is very much worth it as they are delicious...

Walnut Cookies
1-1/3 C flour
1 C Walnuts - finely chopped {meal like};
2/3 C light brown suger {you can add more if you like it sweeter}
 Pinch of salt
6 Tbl Earth Balance or other vegan margarine melted
1 Egg

"Topping"
1 egg beaten
app. 1/3 C Walnut pieces

1. Combine four, walnuts, brown sugar, and pinch of salt. Mix it all up then,
2. add slightly cooled off Earth Balance, and egg. Mix all ingredients into a smooth dough. When
    mixed through,
3. divide dough into two pieces and form two long rolls.  Wrap into ceran wrap and put in fridge for at
    least one hour.
4. When the hour has passed - line baking sheets with parchment paper
*Preheat oven to 360 F*
5. Cut cookies with a knife off the dough, and press them flat on the baking sheet.  When all cookies

    are cut;
6. Brush each cookie with the beaten egg, and place a walnut on top;

7. Bake in oven for app. 10 minutes.

Vanilla Crescents #Dairyfree {Vanillekipferl} #Cookis #Xmas

Today is the first of advent and there is no way to let the day pass without at least one kind of Christmas cookies, or Weihnachtsbroetle as I like to call them :) Baking cookies before the first of advent just does not feel right to me.  It is just me; I talked to my Mom today and she told me that it was a tradition to bake cookies on this day.  They always made their cookies on the first of advent.  So maybe, it is in my blood....

I make Vanilla Crescents every year and this year I tried out another recipe {click here for last year's version}.  The ones today turned out fantastic - a big part is that I used real vanilla bean instead of vanilla sugar.  It makes a huge difference...they do not look as beautiful as last year's {I just checked it out} but believe me when I say that they are delicious.  Oh, and the house smells amazing...

Vanilla Crescents 
10 Tbl Earth Balance {140 gr}
1/2 C Sugar {100 gr}
1 Vanilla Bean
2 Egg Yolks
1-1/2 C Flour - generous {200 gr}
1 C  blanched almonds and/or cashews finely chopped {100 gr - I used almonds & cashews} - almond
        meal

Sugar Crust
2 Tbl Sugar
4 Tbl Powdered Sugar
   1/2 of {above} vanilla bean - vanilla scraped out.

1. Cream softened margarine in mixer, and slowly add the sugar;
2. Slice half of vanilla bean open and scrape vanilla out and add to the margarine/sugar mixture - blend;
3. Add the egg yolks and continue blending until fully incorporated;
4. Add flour, and nuts; blend well until it is all nicely incorporated into a dough;
5. Divide the dough into three parts.  Roll each part out into a long roll; wrap into ceran wrap. Let
    rest in fridge for at least an hour;
   * Preheat oven to 360F

Here they are...from step 6 to finish :)

6. Cut each roll into about 1/4 - 1/2" pieces; and roll each individual piece into a smaller roll and form
    into a crescent;
7. Bake for about 10 minutes {check frequently - they should remain light and not turn brown}
8. mix the sugar crust by combining 2 Tbl Sugar, 4 Tbl Powdered Sugar, and vanilla from the other
    half of the vanilla bean;
9. let cookies cool down a tiny little bit, then carefully roll them in the sugar mixture, set them aside to cool down entirely before placing them into cookie tins.