Recipes For The Holidays

Organized by: Bree Maciel

Illustrated by: Carla Cieza

As the semester ends and the holidays are upon us, we on the Crescent staff wanted to share some of our favorite holiday recipes to try over break. Though this year has been tough, we hope that these treats will lift your spirits!

Bree - Butter Mints

If you have never made butter mints you are seriously missing out! Butter mints are not only super tasty, but really easy to make. I remember making these with my siblings during the holidays and each of us having our own color of mint. It is always one of my favorite times of the year when we scramble into the kitchen to make butter mints and end up eating them all within the next couple of days. Another fun thing you can do is switch out the peppermint oil/extract with other flavors or even combine peppermint and some other flavor! I remember feeling a bit like a mad scientist when my brother and I decided that we didn’t want just peppermint.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened

  • 1 Tbsp cream

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 5-6 drops peppermint oil (NOT THE ESSENTIAL OIL KIND)

  • 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

  • 2-3 drops food coloring, optional

Instructions:

  1. Beat butter, cream, salt, peppermint oil, and 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar in a Kitchenaid mixer or large bowl until very smooth and creamy.

  2. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add food coloring if desired. Beat for 2-4 minutes, or till smooth and fluffy. 

  3. Scrape all of the mixture into a mound and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill for at least an hour.

  4. When the mixture is firm enough to handle, divide it into 5 or 6 pieces. To form mints, sprinkle your counter liberally with powdered sugar. Roll each piece out into a rope about 1/2" thick.

  5. Use a dough scraper (or just a knife) to cut each rope into small pillow shaped pieces approximately 1/2" long (You can also shape them into hearts or circles). Place each mint on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Let mints sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours to dry out. Then enjoy!

Natascha - Best Ever Blueberry Coffee Cake

This recipe is one we've used in our family for as long as I can remember. Paired with a steaming cup of coffee, this is a perfect treat for Christmas morning. In my family we always start Christmas Day in our living room with a cozy fire burning in the fireplace and opening our stockings together. This is always followed by letting our dogs 'open' their stockings as well, by which time a second cup of coffee and slice of coffee cake is called for. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 8 ounce cream cheese (softened)

  • ½ cup butter (melted)

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Vanilla Crumb

  • 1 cup all -purpose flour

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch cubes (1 stick)

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan or muffin pan. Set aside.

  2. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

  3. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until creamy. Add 2 cups sugar; beat until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well. Add flour mixture in and beat until combined. Stir in vanilla. Gradually fold in blueberries. Batter will be very thick. 

  4. In a small bowl stir together 3 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle a little into the greased pan. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan or muffin pan, then sprinkle some of the cinnamon/sugar mixture over batter.

  5. Make the vanilla crumb by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl until they have a crumbly texture then sprinkle over the top of the batter.

  6. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes for baking pan or 30 minutes for muffin pan (until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean). Cool on a wire rack.

 Anika - Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These double chocolate crinkle cookies scream Christmas! They’re easy to make and are perfect if you love chocolate. Make sure you don’t over bake them and they’ll be nice and soft and gooey!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (53g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup; 115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup (180g) mini or regular size semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ingredients for Rolling:

  • 3 Tablespoons (35g) granulated sugar

  • 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, for rolling

Instructions:

  1. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

  2. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium high speed until fluffy and creamed, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

  3. On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined, then beat in the chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be thick and sticky. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.

  4. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. You can preheat the oven during this time.

  5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

  6. Scoop and roll dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each. Roll each ball very lightly in granulated sugar, then generously in the confectioners’ sugar. Place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.

  7. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. If the cookies aren’t really spreading by minute 9, remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3x. This helps initiate that spread. Return to the oven for a couple more minutes. The cookies will be thick regardless – they deflate a little as they cool!

  8. Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Jen - Almond and Lemon Butter Cookies

This is a recipe I adapted from another butter cookie recipe I found online. I really wanted an almond-flavored butter cookie, but after I started baking, I realized we only had half the flavoring I needed--and I’d already mixed the butter and sugars! I thought lemon would add a little zest and make up for the decrease in almond, and it turned out delicious. I adjusted the sugars and baking time to suit the way my family likes our butter cookies, and now whenever I make these cookies, they disappear within a few days. I recommend having these with an herbal tea or milk, to compliment the almondy-lemony-buttery flavor.

Makes ~36 medium-size cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 1 cup brown sugar

  • 1 ½ cups butter (softened)

  • 1 tsp almond extract

  • 1 ½ cups white flour

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • ⅛ tsp salt

  • ½ tsp lemon zest

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. Beat together sugars and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 mins.

  3. Add eggs and almond extract, beat until mixed.

  4. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.

  5. Add flour mixture to wet mixture gradually, stir until mixed.

  6. Add lemon peel, stir until mixed.

  7. Spoon batter onto a tray lined with parchment paper.

  8. Bake ~20 mins or until golden brown.

Tip: if you like your cookies soft, bake them for a shorter amount of time. If you like them crunchier, bake them a little longer. But watch the edges: if they’re brown, they’re done!

Molly -  Forgotten Cookies

Forgotten cookies are one of my family's all-time favorite Christmas treats. The meringue-like cookies are sweet, pepperminty, chocolatey, and just perfect for the holiday season. They fall apart in your mouth when you bite into them. They are such a fun recipe too! They take a long time to make, seeing as they have to slow cook in the oven for multiple hours - hence the name "Forgotten Cookies" - but they are well worth the wait. It's practically impossible to eat just one of these cookies. Happy baking!

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 egg whites (at room temperature is best)

  • Dash of salt

  • 1/4-1/2 tsp cream of tartar

  • 1/2-3/4 cup sugar

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

  • 10 oz chocolate chips (or however much feels right)

  • 1/4 tsp peppermint extract (or peppermint oil to taste)

  • Optional: food coloring

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Beat egg whites until stiff

3. Add cream of tartar, then add sugar slowly while beating

4. Beat until glossy, then add vanilla, peppermint, and coloring

5. Fold in chocolate chips

6. Drop spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet

7. Put the sheet into the oven, close the oven, then turn the oven OFF

8. “Forget” them in the oven overnight, or a minimum of 6 hours

9. Take cookies out of the oven, and enjoy!


SOURCES:

BUTTER MINTS:Homemade Butter Mints Recipe {Just 5 Ingredients!} | Lil' Luna

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES:Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies | Sally's Baking Addiction

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Jessica Daugherty