Taste connections (TC) Holiday cookies

½ Cup(100g or 1 stick) butter

1 jar TC-Holiday cookie mix (475 g)

Water to make stiff dough (4 Tablespoons or more, as needed )

In mixing bowl, add butter and beat well until fluffy. Add the mix and beat thoroughly. Add water slowly until you get a stiff dough*.  Pat the dough into a disc and cover with saran wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.

1. CUT-OUT COOKIES: Roll out the dough (use cornstarch to help roll out) to ¼ inch thick and cut into Christmas shapes such as tree, stockings, etc. Place on an ungreased baking pan and freeze it for 15-20 minutes. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375º F and rotate the pan from front to back and bake for 3-4 more minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly. Cool on a wire rack. You can use the Ready- made frosting from supermarkets (Betty Crockers or Duncan Hines brand vanilla or White frosting). Spread a little on top, sprinkle with coarse colored sugar and leave on cooling rack to set overnight. The frosting will harden and the cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container for several days.
2. ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES: Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest when making the dough. Roll into walnut size balls, and flatten. Sprinkle with colored coarse sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375º F and rotate the pan from front to back and bake for 3-4 more minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly. Cool on a wire rack.
3. LEMON ROUNDS: make the cookies as in sugar cookies and use lemon zest instead of orange and cool. Mix wll 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar, 2 Tablespoon any preferred colored decorating sugar, and 3 Tablespoons lemon juice and beat well. Spread ½-1 tsp on the cooled cookies.
4. WINDOW PANE COOKIES: Make the cookie dough and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough (use cornstarch to help roll out) to ¼ inch thick and cut into Christmas shapes such as tree, stockings, etc. Cut out smaller shapes from the cut-out shapes. Place on ungreased baking pan and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Bake or 6-8 minutes at 375º F, sprinkle the centers with crushed hard candies and bake until melted, probably 4-5 minutes. (finer the candy pieces, quicker they melt and form the windows)
5. MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES: Make the cookie dough and shape into small ball (walnut size).. Chill for 30 minutes or longer (when baked the cookies should not spread too much and retain round ball shape mostly; freezing helps maintain the shape). Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375º F and rotate the pan from front to back and bake for 3-4 more minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly. Cool mostly and then toss in confectioner’s sugar.
6. SANDWICH COOKIES: Make cookies as in orange sugar cookies and cool. Sandwich with jam or frosting between 2 cookies and let set.
7. SUGAR EDGES: make the lemon rounds dough and chill. Mix ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon lemon zest in a processor. Roll the dough into 2 or 3 1-inch round logs and roll in the lemon sugar. Freeze the logs for 15-20 minutes and then slice into 1-inch thick pieces. Place on ungreased baking pan and chill for 15 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen rolled-out cookies and more or less cut out cookies depending on the shape.

Hint: * Add water slowly until you get really stiff dough. If it is too stiff and dry to form the dough add extra water, ½ teaspoon at a time until you get the right consistency. Using an electric mixer speeds up the beating process and also uses less water than if you beat with wooden spoon and gather the dough by hand.

Nutrient information:

                                          Kcal                prot(g)            phe(mg)          met(mg)          leu

per cookie                   102.8               0.06                 3.2                       1.2                     6.2

(hand rolled – 24)

Per cookie

(frosted)                       110                  0.06                 4                          2                            8