Holiday favorite sweets to bake and make

[Monica]

I had requests on a couple other groups to share my favorite holiday sweets, so here are the recipes for you all as well! These are my staples for every Christmas season, shared with family ,friends, and coworkers.

Tassies (mini pecan pies)

Crust: Cream together 3 ounces of cream cheese, ½ cup of butter softened to room temp, and 1 cup flour in a bowl. Divide dough into 24 balls and pat into wells of mini muffin pans, making sure to go all the way up to the rim. (I have a 24 well silicone one that works really well)

Filling: Combine 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 Tablespoon softened butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, and 1 egg in a bowl. Finely chop ½ cup pecans. Add pecans evenly into all prepared crusts, then add approximately 1 Tablespoon of filling into each, being careful not to overfill.

Bake: at 350ºF for 25 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes in pan the remove to finish cooling. Store in airtight container.

7-layer Cookie Bars

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Grease a glass 13 inch by 9 inch by 2 inch pan, or line with parchment paper.

Melt ½ cup butter and mix with 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs. (I buy these in a box but you can also use a food processor to make crumbs from graham crackers) Pat mixture into bottom of pan. Add 2 cups -or- 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips over graham cracker crust. Add 1 1/3 cups shredded sweetened coconut flakes. Add 1 cup of chopped nuts (I like walnuts). Add 2 cups -or- 1 bag of butterscotch chips (or peanut butter if you prefer). Drizzle 1- 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk over the top, covering the entire surface.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until top starts to look golden brown.

Cool in pan and cut into squares when cool. Store in airtight container.

Boiled Cookies (also known as no-bake nowadays)

Bring 2 cups sugar, ½ cup milk, 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder, and ½ cup butter (or margarine if anyone actually cooks with that anymore) to a rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from heat.

Add 2/3 cup peanut butter (I prefer chunky), 3 cups of rolls oats (aka old-fashioned oats), 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well.

Optional mix-ins: ¾ cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes and/or 1 cup chopped nuts. (I always add a cup of chopped walnuts to mine) Stir well.

Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper and let dry. (I find it takes a couple hours) Store in airtight container.

Fudge

Grease an 8 inch by 8 inch glass pan, or line it with parchment paper.

Heat 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1-14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk in a pan until melted, stirring constantly to blend the milk and chocolate. Remove from heat.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir well.

Optional: 1 cup chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts). 6 ounces shredded sweetened coconut flakes. 1 teaspoon peppermint extract. Use peanut butter chips in place of chocolate chips.

Pour into greased pan and let sit until firm (usually a couple hours). Cut into squares and enjoy. Store in airtight container.

Toffee Candy

Grease a pie pan. Spread 1 cup of halved pecans across the bottom.

Heat ¾ cup brown sugar and ½ cup butter in a pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and spread over pecans.

Sprinkle ½ cup chocolate chips over top and smooth as they melt to coat evenly. Cool and break into pieces. Eat and enjoy! Store in an airtight container.

Russian Tea Cakes

Mix together I cup of butter, softened to room temperature, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2¼ cups flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¾ and ¾ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans).

Chill dough then roll into balls about 1 inch or so in diameter.

Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm and store in airtight container. Best enjoyed with a good cup of coffee or tea.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bonbons

Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, ¾ cup chopped pecans, and ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes in a bowl. Set aside.

Melt 1 cup butter and 1 cup peanut butter in a microwaveable bowl, mixing well. Pour over top of bowl mixture and blend until moist.

Make 1 inch diameter balls with mixture.

Melt 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips and 3 Tablespoons shortening (yes, you need to use shortening) in microwaveable bowl. Dip balls to coat, using a spoon to scoop out and drop onto waxed paper covered plate or cookie sheet. Chill to set.

To store: Refrigerate in tightly sealed container between layers of waxed paper.

Rum Balls

In microwaveable bowl, melt together 6 ounces (3/4 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and 3 Tablespoons butter. Stir together.

Take a small amount and place into a separate bowl to mix with 3 slightly beaten egg yolks, then add to original mixture and mix well.
Add 1 tablespoon rum or brandy and mix well. Do NOT use extract.

Chill without stirring for 1-2 hours.

Shape into 1 inch balls, roll in finely grated chocolate, cocoa powder, or finely chopped nuts.

Store in tightly sealed container in refrigerator, layering with waxed paper.

[pamcook]

We make the no bake cookies and the fudge we make is cooked in the microwave.

It all looks delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipes.

[pugmom]

They all sound delicious.
Some years I bake, some I don't. Haven't decided about this year yet.

[pbp908]

Unfortunately there's no recipe for the cherry pie I make whenever I can find tart red cherries. It's one of those put in how-much you want things. Basic recipe is (no measurements-I could begin to tell you those) 2 cans of tart cherries, 1 container of thawed Cool Whip, chopped pecans, 1 can of Eagle Brand milk, lemon juice. It's one of those things you taste and feel your way through.

As for my "famous" pecan pie - it's the recipe on the Karo bottle.

Every year I bake my ggrandmother's applesauce cake. I'm the 4th generation to make this and my niece is the 5th. The recipe makes several cakes so generally I bake one in a Bundt pan and another in a bread loaf pan. As near as we've been able to figure, this family tradition is over 100 years old.

1 quart (4 cups) hot applesauce
3 cups brown sugar
½ pound butter
4 ½ cups plain flour
5 eggs
3 teaspoons soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons cloves
1 ½ lb. seeded raisins
1 lb. chopped walnuts - I use black walnuts because that's what my family used. They had black walnut trees and the things were a pain to crack. I source mine from nuts.com, but you can use English walnuts or pecans.
½ teaspoon salt

Melt butter in hot applesauce. Mix dry ingredients with eggs, sugar and applesauce. Add raisins and nuts. Bake at 250 degrees for 3 hours.

My mother's addition: Chopped dates, candied cherries or mixed fruit can be added to make fruitcake. Wrap in foil and refrigerate.

[Monica]

That applesauce cake sounds delish! And I do still have some jars of applesauce from last year's canning...

[EDelValle]

One very sweet treat I used to make for my kids
as a gift at Christmas was Pa Dutch Potato Candy.

It's another one of those things that can't be
quantified with a recipe the ingredients would be
a baked potato, confectioners sugar (about 2 pounds)
vanilla and then peanut butter about a jar full
the potato, sugar and vanilla are mixed together
until it's stiff enough to roll out on a piece of waxed paper,
spread the peanut butter on top and roll up pin wheel style
wrap in waxed paer and refrigerate overnight, then make slices
about 1/4 inch thick to make a swirled piece of candy.
You need a really sweet tooth for this one but the peanut butter
cuts the sweetness just a bit

[pbp908]

Elizabeth - My mom used to make that! She called it Martha Washington Roll. Later on she made a version that didn't use the potatoes.

[Keitha]

What a yummy thread! Traditional recipes lovingly made year after year are certainly a significant family memory. Ours include:
My mother's hard sauce - butter, icing sugar, pinch of salt, vanilla, brandy; another non-quantified recipe, and the best part of Christmas pudding, LOL.
Hot Crab Dip
8 oz. cream cheese softened, 1 tin crab meat drained, 1 whole green onion chopped, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper to taste. Mix all together, place in ovenproof bowl and heat at 300F for 45 minutes/until nice and puffy. (Gotta love recipes where the instructions include 'nice and puffy' LOL.) Serve with Triscuits.
Potato & Cheese Casserole
2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and diced 2", 1 clove garlic minced, 1/2 c. thinly sliced green onion, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 c. half & half, 4 oz. cream cheese softened and cubed, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, thyme garnish, 8 oz. cold brie or camembert - rind removed 1/2" dice. Optional: 5-8 oz. crumbled blue cheese.
Cook potatoes 15 min, drain well. Saute garlic & green onion in butter. Mash potatoes, beat in garlic butter mixture, cream cheese, half & half, S&P. Fold in brie or camembert. Place in 1-1/2 qt casserole, base at 450F for 15 min until top begins to lightly brown. Garnish, serve at once.
Candy Cane Brownies
2/3 c. butter, 8 oz semisweet chocolate chopped, 4 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped, 1-1/2 c. sugar, 4 eggs, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 c. flour, 1 tsp. salt. TOPPING: 1/2 c. crushed candy canes, 2/3 c. mini chocolate chips.
Line 13x9" metal cake pan with parchment paper, set aside. In saucepan over medium-low heat melt together butter and chocolate, let cool 10 min. Whisk in sugar, then eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla. Using wooden spoon stir in flour and salt. Scrape into prepared pan. Bake in centre of 350F oven until cake tester comes out with a few moist crumbs, 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle candy canes then chocolate chips, return to oven for 30 seconds (do not let topping melt). Let cool in pan, refrigerate until cold about 1 hour. makes 40 bars.

[jmp1022]

Thanks for sharing, these are some of my favorites.

[Monica]

Keitha.... YUM!!!! I'm loving all the recipes shared here. New things to add to my repertoire!