Ruby Jewel Christmas Cookies Williams Sonoma Food

CHRISTMAS JEWEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Set butter aside in a large bowl to soften.
• In another bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
• Set aside enough cherry halves so that there is enough to top each cookie with one.
• Add remaining fruit and walnuts to a third bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the flour mixture to the fruit and stir until it is coated with flour and mixed well. (This helps separate the fruit and keep it from sticking together.).
• After butter has softened, beat butter, sugar and eggs until creamy. Mix in buttermilk and vanilla.
• Add half of flour mixture and mix well. Add remaining flour and mix.
• Note: At this point, make sure everything is mixed well because the mixture will be very stiff and hard to stir after adding the fruit.
• Stir in half of the fruit mixture into the cookie dough. Add remaining fruit and mix.
• Refrigerate dough for an hour or more (may be refrigerated overnight).
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls on non-stick or lightly greased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with one reserved cherry half.
• Bake 12-15 minutes, until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly with finger.
• Remove and cool.

RUBY JEWEL CHRISTMAS COOKIES (WILLIAMS-SONOMA)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and vanilla together, set aside.
• Combine the flour and granulated sugar in a food processor/mixer and process just to blend. With the machine running, add the butter 2-3 pieces at a time and process until the mixture looks crumbly. With the machine still running, add the egg yolk mixture and process until blended and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape or roll it into a flat disk about 3/4 in thick. Wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Line a miniature muffin pan with paper liners or line a cookie sheet with parchement paper.
• For Cookie Cutters: on a lightly floured surface, with a cold rolling pin, roll out the dough to 3/4 in thick, cut cookies out and place on baking sheet about 1 in apart.
• For Muffin Liners: with lightly floured hands, shape the dough into ¾" balls and flatten a little then place the balls into the muffin liners about 1 in apart.
• Using the end of a wooden spoon dipped in flour, make an indentation in the center of each cookie, but do not press all the way through the dough. Using a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, fill each indentation with about ¼ teaspoon jam.
• Bake the cookies until the edges are golden, 15-20 minutes.
• Let the cookies cool completely in the pans on wire racks. Transfer the cooled cookies to wire racks and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

JEWEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla.
• Stir in flour.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven 375 degrees.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls and dip in egg white.
• Roll in nuts.
• (Cookie dough ball, not you!).
• With floured thimble or thumb, press center of each cookie.
• Bake 10- 12 minutes, or until delicate golden brown.
• Cool on rack.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon jelly in center.

JEWEL BOX COOKIES

Steps:

• COMBINE flour and sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until coarse crumbs form. Add beaten egg yolk and vanilla. Mix until dough holds together.
• SHAPE into small balls using half teaspoonfuls. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Make small indentation in center of each cookie. Chill 20 minutes.
• HEAT oven to 350°F Fill each cookie with scant 1/4 teaspoon jam, jelly or preserves. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until just golden around the edges.
• For added sparkle, unbaked cookies may be rolled in coarse bakery sugar crystals before being placed on cookie sheet to chill.

EASY BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla using mixer.
• Add the flour to make batter stiff.
• Make into 2 rolls using waxed paper.
• Divide remaining sugar into bowls and color with food coloring. I usually do atleast 2 colors. Place sugar on a piece of waxed paper and spread sugar out.
• Roll cookie tube in colored sugar. Wrap rolls up using wax paper. Refrigerate rolls to stiffen. 30-45 minutes.
• Slice in 1/4 inch slices and bake just until bottom starts to become golden. Do not overbake. 7-9 minutes.
• Prep time includes refrigeration time.

LINZER TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Beat margarine at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended. Add flour, beating at low speed until blended.
• Roll dough into small balls and place on greased cookie sheets, two inches apart. Flatten dough balls with a flat-bottomed cup wrapped in a damp paper towel.
• Dip a thimble or small round cutter in flour and cut out a small circle in the center of exactly half of the cookies.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. (The cookies will be pale. The cut out halves will bake faster so watch closely.) Transfer carefully to wire racks to cool.
• Spread raspberry preserves on top of solid cookies. Top with remaining cookies, bottom sides down, to make sandwiches. Sift powdered sugar over tops of cookies.