Triple Chocolate Spice Cookies

This recipe started as ordinary chocolate-chip cookies and evolved over time. First I added the cinnamon because I like cinnamon with chocolate. Later V inspired me to try cardamom, and one night I needed a bigger chocolate fix and added some cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. Many iterations later, we have this:

Ingredients

1 1/8 C all-purpose flour
1/8 C cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C vegetable shortening
3/8 C granulated sugar
3/8 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1/4 C semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp butter flavor extract (optional)
1 C semisweet chocolate chips, NOT melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 & position racks close to the center.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
In another bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, sugar, and brown sugar. Blend in the egg, melted chocolate, vanilla, and butter flavor. Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or nonstick foil. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, depending on how soft-&-gooey or well-done you like your cookies. Remove from oven and let stand on the tray long enough to firm up for handling, then remove to a cooling rack or directly into your mouth. I won't judge.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on how much dough you eat straight out of the bowl.

Nana's Anise Cookies

A guest post from my friend V, who continues the family tradition of making these Italian Christmas treats each year. They have a very strong licorice flavor!

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp anise extract
1 TBSP baking powder
2 1/2 c flour

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and extract. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Roll cookies into shapes with hands. Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes until light brown.


Glaze:
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp anise extract
water if needed
nonpareil sprinkles :)

Dip the cookies into the icing and then into nonpareil sprinkles.

Mudballs

This is my most requested holiday goodie. Is it a cookie or is it a candy? Who cares!


Ingredients

• 3 cups rice crispies
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1 regular-size jar of peanut butter
• 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/4 bar paraffin wax (usually sold near the jello, candles, or canning supplies in supermarkets)

Directions:
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the rice crispies and powdered sugar. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter together in the microwave and stir into a soupy mess. Pour the melted mixture over the cereal mixture and combine, mixing with your hands or the stand mixer on low speed, until mostly uniform. (Do not try this with a hand mixer!)

Chill this mixture, then roll into walnut-sized balls (I use a melon baller for this step), and place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheets, and chill again. Meanwhile, chop up the paraffin into little bits, and melt the chocolate and paraffin together (use the microwave or a double-boiler), stirring until smooth and liquid.

Using small tongs, dip each peanut butter ball quickly into the chocolate, turning to coat, and then return to the wax-paper-lined trays and chill once more to set the chocolate. Store in a sealed container in a cool place, or in the fridge.

Afghan Biscuits

This recipe comes from my friend K, in New Zealand. (A "biscuit" in NZ is what Americans like me call a "cookie) I had some of these biscuits at little bakeries & cafes all over New Zealand when I was there 2 years ago, and K very kindly converted the recipe to American measurements and sent it to me. Thanks, K!

Ingredients
Cookies:

• 14 Tbs. butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups flour
¼ cup cocoa
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups cornflakes (measure without crushing)

Icing:

• 1 Tbs. butter
• 2 Tbs. water
¼ cup chocolate chips
• 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
• 24 walnut halves

Instructions
Cream the 14 tbs. butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift together flour and cocoa, and stir into creamed mixture. Add vanilla. Lightly crush the cornflakes, then gently and thoroughly fold into the batter. They should be well distributed without crushing them too much – which is what gives this cookie its special crunch!
Grease a cookie sheet. Form balls about the size of a walnut, and place on sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes, until firm to the touch. Cool on a rack.
Icing: melt the 1 tbs. butter, the water and chocolate chips over low heat. Then stir in the powdered sugar, and beat until it is spreading consistency. Add more sugar if necessary. Ice the cookies and decorate each with a walnut. Makes 2 dozen.