Christmas Slice And Bake Cookies Food

YUMMY SLICE-AND-BAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine the flour, instant coffee, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir together and set aside. Cream together the butter with the brown and granulated sugar, scraping the bowl once while mixing. Add the eggs, mixing one at a time, and then the vanilla. Add the chocolate-hazelnut spread and peanut butter and mix. Add the dry ingredients in increments, mixing gently after each addition. Scrape the bowl once and mix again. Add the chopped chocolate candies and pecans and mix gently to combine. Add more of either ingredient if needed.
• Spoon the dough on a long piece (or 2 shorter pieces) of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Carefully roll the dough inside the wrap, pressing gently to get it to form into a firm cylinder. Refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours, or place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Slice off as many cookies as you'd like and lay the slices on a baking sheet. (The thicker the slices, the farther apart the cookies will need to be; they bake up flat.) Bake until nice and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

PENGUIN SLICE-AND-BAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in 1 egg and the vanilla until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
• Turn out all but 1/4 cup of the dough onto a floured surface. Add 3 drops orange food coloring to the dough left in the bowl and mix on low until evenly colored a vibrant orange. Flatten the orange dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until just firm, about 20 minutes.
• Wipe the mixing bowl and paddle clean and add 3/4 cup of the remaining uncolored dough back into the bowl. Add 4 drops black food coloring and mix on low until evenly colored a deep black. Form the black dough into a rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until just firm, about 20 minutes.
• Make the penguin's body: Roll the remaining uncolored dough into a cylinder 9- to 10-inches long and about 1 1/2-inches wide. Wrap in plastic and set aside at room temperature.
• Divide the orange dough into 3 equal pieces (these will be the feet and the nose). Roll into 3 ropes, 9- to 10-inches long and about 1/3-inch wide. Press one rope into a triangle shape by flattening the sides (a ruler is helpful for this). Wrap the orange pieces separately in plastic and freeze until hard, about 15 minutes.
• Slice through the uncolored cylinder lengthwise to make 2 long half-moons. Brush both halves on the cut side with the egg wash. Press the orange triangle rope down the center of the cut side of one of the halves. Cover with the other half and press together to seal and re-form into a cylinder.
• Make the black part of the penguin's body: On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the black dough into a 1/4-inch thick 9-by-4-inch rectangle, with the long side facing you. Use the rolling pin to flatten each of the long sides out 1 inch more so that the edges are thinner and the rectangle mounds in the center. The rectangle should be 9 by 6 inches. Brush the black rectangle with the egg wash then wrap it around the uncolored cylinder, pushing with your hands to adhere the doughs. There will be a thicker layer of black dough on top of the cylinder (the penguin's head) and a thinner layer on the bottom.
• Adhere the feet: Brush the thinner, bottom part of the black dough with egg wash and press the 2 thin orange ropes along the length of the dough about 1/4 inch apart (these will be the feet). Wrap in plastic and use the heels of your hands to form the log into an egg shape; the head should be the narrow end. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Cut 1/4 inch off each end of the cylinder with a very sharp knife to reveal the penguin face. Slice the cylinder into about 1/4-inch-thick cookies. Arrange the slices about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until crisp and just starting to turn brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Line another baking sheet with parchment. Melt the red candy melts in a small glass bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth. Dip the top of each penguin's head in the red candy melts to make a hat; dip the heads slightly off-center for a jaunty look. Put the cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Stick a marshmallow on the center of each hat for a pompom and let the candy melts harden, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the white candy melts in a glass bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until completely melted and smooth. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag and seal. Cut a very small hole in one of the corners of the bag and decorate the hat as desired. Use the white candy melts to attach 2 mini chips for the eyes. Let the candy melts harden completely before serving, about 15 minutes.

SLICE-AND-BAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in 1-1/2 cups "extras". Shape into a 15x2-in. roll; wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill 2 hours or up to 1 week. , To bake, cut into 1/2-in. slices. Place 3 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire racks.

SLICE AND BAKE CHRISTMAS CHECKERBOARD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and baking powder; beat until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Divide the dough in half.
• Color half the dough red and the other half green. Shape red and green halves of dough into 8-inch logs. Wrap each in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours, or until firm. Cut each chilled log lengthwise into quarters; reassemble logs, alternating red and green quarters. Wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes, or until well chilled.
• Cut dough into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Remove cookies and cool on a rack.

VANILLA SPICE SLICE AND BAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer, gradually adding sugar and beating well. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in pecans.
• Shape dough into two 12-inch rolls. Wrap in wax paper and chill at least two hours.
• Unwrap rolls and cut into 1/4-inch slices and place on ungreased (or Silpat-lined) baking sheets.
• Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Note: Dough can be frozen for several months. Slice dough while frozen and bake as directed.