Tag: Christmas Cookie

Reindeer Peanut Butter Cookies

Amanda JaneLeave a comment

Light and airy peanut butter cookies shaped just like Santa’s reindeer!

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a peanut butter cookie! Growing up, we always made peanut butter cookies because it is my brother’s favorite. This year, I decided to spice up our peanut butter cookies and make them look like Rudolph! These cookies are so fun and festive AND they are full of delicious peanut buttery flavor.

You may recognize this recipe from my Perfect Peanut Butter Blossoms recipe. My peanut butter blossom recipe can be made throughout the year, but during the holidays, you can make them more festive by shaping them into reindeer! Every week leading up to Christmas, I will be sharing some of my favorite cookie recipes! Last time, I shared my Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookie and Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookie Pinwheels! Don’t forget to also check out my Christmas cookie recipes from last year under the Christmas Cookie tab on my blog!

For this recipe, you make the dough just as you would the Perfect Peanut Butter Blossoms recipe. Instead of just rolling balls of dough, you are going to shape balls of dough into an upside-down triangle like this:

Make sure the dough is not too thin, it should be around 3/4-inch thick. Then, coat the dough in granulated sugar and place it on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. While the cookies are baking, gather the reindeer’s ears, eyes, and nose. For the ears, it is easiest to buy the Snyder’s of Hanover itty bitty mini pretzels. This will avoid the hassle of trying to break larger pretzels in half for the ears. For the eyes, I like to use mini chocolate chips, and for the nose, I went to my local Party City to get red M&Ms. Set out all of these ingredients so you are ready to turn these triangles into reindeer when the dough comes out of the oven.

Once the dough comes out, immediately place two pretzels on the top for ears, two mini chocolate chips for eyes, and one red M&M for the nose. Next thing you know, you’re going to have a tray full of little reindeer! Have fun decorating (and eating) these deliciously cute cookies!

I would love to see your little reindeer too! Tag me in your pictures @beyondbakingwithamandajane on Instagram and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane! I hope you enjoy these cookies!

Reindeer Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Servings: 25 Cookies
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use chunky)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling (optional)
  • about 70 Snyder’s of Hanover Itty Bitty Mini pretzels
  • 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
  • 25-30 red M&M’s

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line cookies sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
  4. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
  5. Scoop 1 1/2 inch dough balls and shape them into upside-down triangles, making sure the cookie is about 3/4-inch thick. Roll the dough in granulated sugar. Place on a prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes. While the cookies are baking, prepare the ears, eyes, and nose.
  7. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately, gently push the reindeer facial features into the dough. Let sit for 5 minutes for the cookie to cool.

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

A Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Amanda Jane4 Comments

Super rich and chocolatey chocolate cookies with a cracked dusting of powder sugar.

Today, I am sharing my second cookie recipe for this Christmas cookie season, A Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies! I always have an eye out for chocolatey cookies because my family loves chocolate everything and anything! These cookies remind me of an upgraded brookie (brownie + cookie): rich and cakey. The powder sugar dusting adds a pretty crackling effect and an extra sweetness to each bite. This is my favorite part of the cookie!

Last week, I posted my Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookie Pinwheels, click the link to check that recipe out! I also did a weekly Christmas cookie countdown last year, so don’t forget to check those recipes out under the Christmas Cookies category of my blog!

This recipe is quick and easy to whip up for a last-minute occasion. It is a one-bowl recipe, and the chill time is very minimal. When you are making this recipe, use dark cocoa powder because it will make the cookie even more rich and delicious. It is necessary to chill the dough so it is easier to work with when rolling the dough in powder sugar. I like to chill it in the freezer for 45-60 minutes. Then, using a cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough and roll each ball in a generous amount of powder sugar. Don’t be shy to add more powder sugar because this is what makes the beautiful cracking effect.

I hope you enjoy and have fun making these festive chocolate crinkle cookies! I would love to see your cookies on Instagram! Tag me @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane.

A Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

  • Servings: 3 dozen cookies
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cocoa, sugar, and oil until well combined.
  2. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  3. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined.
  4. Cover the dough and chill in the freezer for 45-60 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 1 inch balls using a cookie scoop. Roll each dough ball in powder sugar and place it on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookie Pinwheels

Amanda Jane4 Comments

It’s finally December and you know what that means, Christmas cookie season is here! This is my favorite time of year! So, every week until Christmas, I will be sharing some of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes with you! To kick things off, I want to share my Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookie Pinwheels. Every year, when I plan out my cookie list, I never have enough color in my cookie assortment to make the platter look holly and jolly. BUT these cookies do just the job; they are bright and colorful and pop out on a plate full of cookies. AND they are absolutely delicious!

You may recognize this pastel sugar cookie recipe from my Pumpkin Shaped Pastel Cookies that my mom and I make together every Halloween. Instead of making orange pumpkins, we are going to make pinwheels!

Once you make the dough, divide it into 3 equal portions. You can dye these portions any color you may like, to suit any holiday you may celebrate, but for the spirit of Christmas, I dye one portion red, the other green, and leave the last portion as it is.

Once you dye your dough, roll each portion of dough until it is 1/4-inch thick between two pieces of parchment paper (roll each portion of dough out between their own two sheets of parchment paper). Once you have rolled each portion out, place everything on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 2 hours. This dough will be so much easier to work with when it is very chilled.

When the dough is chilled, it is time to layer the sheets of dough. I like to layer my colors with green at the bottom, then white, then red. I like to have the red on the outside of the cookie, but it doesn’t matter what order you choose to do! To start, leave the bottom sheet of parchment paper on the bottom layer of dough. For the next layer, remove the top sheet of parchment paper, line up the edges of dough, and slowly lay the top layer down. Repeat with the final layer of dough.

Gently press all of the layers together so they stick. Using the very bottom piece of parchment paper, begin to tightly roll the dough starting at the long edge. Freeze the roll for 1 hour.

When the roll is very cold, take a very sharp knife and cut 1/4-inch thick slices of dough. Place them on a cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart, and bake for 7 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy these colorful cookies!

I would love to see your version of my Pinwheel Cookies! Tag me in your pictures on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane!

Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookie Pinwheels

  • Servings: 3 dozen cookies
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 6 Tablespoons milk
  • Red food coloring
  • Green food coloring

Directions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
  3. Beat in the egg yolks. Beat in the milk.
  4. Gradually add in the dry ingredients until dough is formed.
  5. Divide the dough into 3 pieces and dye. (one red, one green, and one with no dye)
  6. Roll each piece between two sheets of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Place all 3 sheets of dough on a tray and chill for 3-4 hours.
  7. Stack each layer on top of each other, gently pressing down to make sure the layers are stuck together.
  8. Roll the dough, beginning on the long edge, into a tight cylinder. Freeze for 1 hour.
  9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  10. Once chilled, cut 1/4-inch thick discs of dough and place on a baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. (note: if the dough begins to soften, put in the freezer for another 30 minutes)
  11. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

Super Simple Nutella Lover’s Chocolate Cookie

Amanda Jane4 Comments

Chewy and fudgy chocolate hazelnut cookies for all Nutella and chocolate lovers.

Ever since elementary school when I started eating Nutella sandwiches I was obsessed. I remember coming home from school with my grandma, and as part of my after-school snack, she would give me a big spoonful of Nutella and tell me to not tell my mom. I loved it, it made me so happy. To this day, Nutella is my favorite spread. I love to use it as a cake fillings, pretzel dip, eat it plain, or in a Kinder Egg. I had yet to make Nutella cookies until coming across this recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.

These cookies are so easy, chewy, fudgy and only 5 ingredients! I was skeptical of this recipe because there was no butter, minimal sugar, and no leavener. I was so wrong! These cookies are so yummy AND they are the easiest cookies I have ever made. They are chewy and full of Nutella galore, and they are even more addictive than just plain Nutella.

This recipe only requires one bowl. Mix all the ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Then, using a 1-inch cookie scoop, roll the dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough balls on a tray and freeze for 10 minutes before baking. If you want to add even more chocolate to these cookies, you can press a few chocolate chips into the dough ball before baking. Then, bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the top of the cookie does not feel raw.

The Nutella lover in me loves this cookie recipe! I like the chew these cookies have along with the fudginess of the Nutella. Also, this cookie is so good with a nice glass of milk (or almond milk). I hope you give this recipe a try!

I would love to see your recreation of these Nutella cookies from Ambitious Kitchen! Tag me on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane! Enjoy!

Super Simple Nutella Lover's Chocolate Cookie

  • Servings: 20 cookies
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup Nutella
  • 2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup flour + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • Sea salt for sprinkling

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the Nutella, brown sugar, egg, and flour until well combined.
  3. Using a cookie scoop, roll 1-inch dough balls. Freeze dough balls for 10 minutes.
  4. Place dough balls 2-inches apart on prepared cookie tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

Greek Sesame Twist Cookies

Amanda Jane7 Comments

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, these vanilla buttery cookies are perfect to have with a hot winter (or just on its own) drink by the Christmas tree.

Happy December and happy international cookie day! The Christmas season is my favorite time of year, and it is finally here! My favorite Christmas tradition is staying up late and baking hundreds of cookies with my mom to share with friends and family. Every week until Christmas, I will be posting some of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes, so follow me on my blog and social media so you don’t miss a recipe!

Today, I am sharing my favorite, Greek Sesame Twist Cookies (minus the sesame). These cookies are a staple in my house for the holidays. My mom and aunt got this recipe from a Good Housekeeping magazine when they were pre-teens, starting their traditon of making Christmas cookies. Because I am not the biggest fan of sesame seeds, I just omit them. I guess I make more of a Greek Twist Cookie. Every year at Christmas Eve, my aunt will make her version with the seeds and my mom and I will make ours. And every year, both versions are gone before the end of the night.

These cookies are extremely simple to make. It’s a one bowl recipe, the dough is very easy to work with, and you don’t even need to chill the dough! Begin by beating sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Then, add eggs and vanilla. It may look chunky and not very well mixed, but this is normal. On a low speed, beat in the dry ingredients until just combined. Divide the dough in half and cover the other half with a tea towel or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. It is important to make sure the dough doesn’t dry out or your cookie dough will crack more easily. Take about a Tablespoon of dough and roll it into a smooth ball between your hands. Then, roll the dough into a 6-inch long rope. Gently, fold the ends together and twist 2-3 times. Be sure to not over twist, or the dough will crack. These cookies do not spread much, so placing them an inch apart on a lined cookie sheet will be okay. Before baking, brush the top with an egg wash and, if you want sesame seeds, sprinkle them on now. Bake until the top and bottom of the cookies are slightly golden.

In the spirit of Christmas, I wanted to try something new with the twist and make candy cane shaped cookies. I began by dying half of the dough bright red, keeping in mind this color will fade a bit in the oven. I then took a Tablespoon of each color and rolled them into 6-inch long ropes, intertwined them, and shaped them into a candy cane shape. They were super cute and were full of holiday spirit, I will definitely be doing this again in future years!

I’d love to see your Greek Sesame Twists! Tag and follow me on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane! I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Greek Sesame Twist Cookies

  • Servings: 3 dozen cookies
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg white
  • 3 Tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 cookie trays.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until creamy.
  3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. (The mixture may look chunky)
  4. On low speed, pour in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
  5. Divide the dough in half. Wrap one half with plastic wrap or a tea towel.
  6. With slightly floured hands, roll a tablespoon of dough into a 6-inch rope. Gently fold the rope in half and twist 2-3 times, repeat with the remaining dough. *Note: you can shape your cookie however you would like after twisting the dough.
  7. Place an inch apart on the cookie sheet.
  8. Brush the cookies with egg wash, sprinkle the sesame seeds on top (optional).
  9. Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until the bottom is lightly golden.

Taste tested with love by friends and family.