Christmas cookies

Better Homes and Gardens (MCT) - Welcome to fuss-free, up-to-date holiday baking. These familiar favorites are reinvented for today by Better Homes and Gardens magazine, which published them in the December 2008 issue.

CHOCOLATE BONBON POPS

We used Oreos to get the intense chocolate flavor of these no-bake bonbons. Find lollipop sticks in the baking section of large supermarkets and baking supply stores.

Prep: 30 min. Freeze: 30 min. Chill: 1 hr.

18 chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling

1 ˝ cups pecans, toasted

2 Tbsp. orange liqueur or orange juice

1 Tbsp. light-color corn syrup

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

20 lollipop sticks

1 12-oz. pkg. milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate pieces

1 Tbsp. Shortening

1. In large food processor bowl combine cookies and ľ cup of the nuts; pulse until cookies are crushed. Add orange liqueur, corn syrup, and cocoa powder; process until combined. Add remaining nuts; pulse until coarsely chopped.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape cookie mixture in 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheet, insert a lollipop stick, and freeze for 30 minutes.

3. In a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and shortening. Cook and stir over medium-low heat just until melted. Remove from heat. Dip pops in chocolate. Return to baking sheet. Loosely cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set. If using liqueur, flavor will mellow after a day or two. Makes 20 pops.

To store: Place in covered container; refrigerate up to 1 week.

Each pop: 208 calories, 14 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 71 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein. Daily Values: 4 percent calcium, 7 percent iron.

___

RED VELVET WHOOPIE PIES

Dating from the 1920s, creamy filling mounded between two big puffy cookies became a phenomenon. This version has big taste yet smaller size.

Prep: 45 min. Bake: 7 min. per batch Oven: 375 degrees F

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

˝ tsp. baking soda

Ľ tsp. salt

˝ cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

˝ cup buttermilk

1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)

1 recipe Whoopie Pie Filling, below

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment; set aside. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating after each addition just until combined. Stir in food coloring.

3. Spoon batter in 1- or 2-inch diameter rounds about ˝ inch high on prepared baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between each round.

4. Bake 7 to 9 minutes for 1-inch cookies or 9 to 11 minutes for 2-inch cookies, or until tops are set. Cool completely on baking sheets on rack. Remove cooled cookies from baking sheets.

5. To fill, dollop Whoopie Pie Filling on flat sides of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides down. Makes 60 one-inch or 42 two-inch cookies.

WHOOPIE PIE FILLING

In medium mixing bowl beat Ľ cup softened butter and half an 8-ounce package softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold in one 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme.

To store: Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Each 1-inch cookie: 70 calories, 3 g fat (2 g sat. fat), 12 mg cholesterol, 49 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein. Daily Values: 2 percent vitamin A, 1 percent calcium, 2 percent iron.

___

CHERY TASSIES

Perch bright red long-stemmed maraschino cherries in tender pastry pouches. For cool holiday glitz, sprinkle the baked tassies with coarse sugar.

Prep: 40 min. Bake: 10 min. Oven: 350 degrees F

1 Ľ cups butter, softened

2 Ľ cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

˝ tsp. salt

1 tsp. peppermint extract

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

2 ˝ cups all-purpose flour

˝ cup finely crushed striped round peppermint candies (about 18)

48 red maraschino cherries or liquor-flavored maraschino cherries with stems, drained

Coarse sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in 1 ˝ cups of the powdered sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Beat in peppermint extract, vanilla, and egg. Beat in as much of the flour as you can; stir in remaining flour and candies.

2. Place remaining ľ cup powdered sugar in a shallow dish. Shape dough in 1-inch balls; roll in powdered sugar. Press each ball into the bottom and sides of a 1 ľ-inch muffin cup.

3. Place cherry, stem side up, in each cup. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until pastry is browned. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Carefully transfer to rack to cool completely. Makes 48 tassies.

To store: Place tassies in a single layer in a covered airtight container. Store at room temperature up to 24 hours or refrigerate up to 3 days. Return to room temperature before serving.

Kitchen tip: Find whiskey-flavored cherries, labeled Tipsy Cherries, in gourmet sections of food stores or online.

Each tassie: 109 calories, 5 g fat (3 g sat. fat), 17 mg cholesterol, 69 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein. Daily Values: 3 percent vitamin A, 1 percent calcium, 2 percent iron.

___

CHAI SPICE GIRLS

Move over gingerbread boys _ make room for sugar and spice and all things nice. Just two bags of chai tea plus two teaspoons each of pumpkin pie spice and molasses flavor an all-time favorite _ holiday cookie cutouts.

Prep: 25 min. Chill: 3 hr. Bake: 12 min. Oven: 350 degrees F

2 spiced chai-flavor tea bags

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 ˝ cups butter, softened cal,

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

2 Tbsp. molasses

1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing

1. Remove tea bag contents (3 teaspoons); discard bags. In medium bowl combine tea, flour, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can; stir in remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or until easy to handle.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. On lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time to Ľ-inch thickness. Cut dough with 4-inch gingerbread girl cutters.

4. Bake 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely. Decorate with Powdered Sugar Icing. Makes 18 to 20 cookies.

POWDERED SUGAR ICING

In medium bowl combine 1 ˝ cups powdered sugar, ˝ teaspoon vanilla, and 4 teaspoons milk. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until piping consistency.

To store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in covered airtight container. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Each cookie: 309 calories, 16 g fat (10 g sat. fat), 64 mg cholesterol, 112 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein. Daily Values: 10 percent vitamin A, 2 percent calcium, 7 percent iron.

___

CINNAMON-SUGAR STICKS

Love the zing of cinnamon imperials aka Red Hots? Crushed and mixed with sugar, they become a crunchy topper for biscotti-like cookies. For mess-free crushing, place candies in a plastic bag. Roll a rolling pin over the bag to break up the candies.

Prep: 45 min. Bake: 8 min. Oven: 350 degrees F

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

˝ tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Ľ cups all-purpose flour

1 ľ cups slivered almonds, toasted and ground (about 7 oz.)

3 oz. white chocolate, chopped

1 Tbsp. shortening

1/3 cup red cinnamon candies, crushed

1/3 cup coarse decorating sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In mixing bowl beat butter on high 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until combined. Beat in baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

3. In medium bowl combine flour and almonds. Beat as much flour mixture as you can into butter mixture. Stir in remaining flour mixture.

4. On lightly floured surface roll or pat dough to 14-inch by 7-inch rectangle, about ˝ inch thick. Cut in half, making two 14-inch by 3 ˝-inch rectangles. Cut crosswise in ˝-inch wide sticks. Use a metal spatula to transfer to baking sheets, placing 1 inch apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until firm and edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.

5. In small heavy saucepan melt chocolate and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly. In wide shallow bowl combine crushed candies and sugar. Dip sticks in chocolate then in candy mixture. Place on waxed paper to set. Makes 56 cookies.

To store: Place cookies, separated between waxed paper, in airtight container at room temperature up 3 days.

Each cookie: 83 calories, 4 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 11 mg cholesterol, 37 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein. Daily Values: 1 percent vitamin A, 1 percent calcium, 2 percent iron.

___

(Recipes by Angela McCrovitz)

___

(Want to see what else is coming from Better Homes and Gardens magazine? Go to www.bhg.com for more.)

___

© 2008, Better Homes and Gardens.