Peppermint Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

• About 2/3 cups butter or margarine, at room temperature 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
• 1 large egg 
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup crushed hard peppermint candy such as candy canes 
• Peppermint Icing (recipe follows)

Preparation

1. 1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 2/3 cup butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.
2. 2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture, then beat just until dough comes together. Stir in peppermint candy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and freeze until dough is firm, about 45 minutes.
3. 3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
4. 4. Bake cookies in a 350º regular or convection oven until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes; if baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking. Immediately, with a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. When cool, drizzle with Peppermint Icing; save any remaining icing for other uses.
5. Peppermint Icing: In a bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. If too thick to drizzle, mix in more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until thin enough. Stir in 1 tablespoon finely crushed hard peppermint candy and 1 to 2 drops red food coloring if desired. Makes 1/2 cup.

Recipe by Sunset Magazine http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/peppermint-molasses-cookies-10000000682739/

Recipe by Sunset

Coconut Cranberry Chews

Ingredients

• About 1 1/2 cups (3/4 lb.) butter or margarine, at room temperature 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries 
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked dried coconut 
• 
  
• Preparation
• 1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1 1/2 cups butter, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla until smooth.
• 2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stir to mix, then beat on low speed until dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Mix in cranberries and coconut.
• 3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
• 4. Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until cookie edges just begin to brown, 8 to 11 minutes (shorter baking time will yield a chewier cookie; longer baking time will yield a crispier cookie). If baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.

Recipe from Sunset