Mountain Christmas Cookies Food

MOUNTAIN COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake at 350° until the edges just start to brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. , For the filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla until smooth. Add pecans and coconut. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon into each cookie. , For topping, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter with water; stir until smooth. Stir in sugar. Drizzle over cookies.

SNOWY MOUNTAIN COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips and, if desired, walnuts; mix well. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. triangle-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges begin to brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Meanwhile, in a microwave, melt white baking chips; stir until smooth. Dip cookie tops in melted chips; sprinkle with nonpareils. Let stand until set.

MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375*. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 sec.
• Add brown sugar, baking soda and ¼ tsp salt; beat until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, beating at a low speed just until combined.
• Stir in chocolate pieces and nuts. Drop dough from rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 min or until golden. Cool for 1 min on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire racks. Cool. Makes 12 (5" diameter) cookies.

CHOCOLATE COVERED SNOW PEAKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment until the whites become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and turn up the speed to medium, beating until just fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, while whisking, so it incorporates into the whites slowly without collapsing them. Once all the sugar has been added, add the vanilla and increase the speed to high, whisking until the meringue is firm and glossy, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Place the meringue into a piping bag with a medium-size round tip attached. Pipe 48 bite-size tear-drop-shaped meringues onto the sheets and place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour undisturbed, and then turn off the heat and leave in the oven overnight to really dry out.
• Melt the chocolate over a double-boiler or in the microwave on medium power for 30 seconds. Holding each meringue by the peak, dip the bases in chocolate so the bottom half of the meringue is coated. Let any excess chocolate drip off before placing on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Allow to set at room temperature; do not put in the fridge. Once set, store in an airtight container.