Cookies, cookies, cookies, fruit cake and more

There isn’t anything more magical than sugar cookies all decorated up for the holidays. If you don’t have your own favorite, here’s one to try. The colored sugars now available are extra sweetening…and the decoration all in one step.

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

4 1/3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

Sugar for dipping (colored sugars work, too)

Cream sugars, butter and oil.

Beat in eggs and vanilla. Whisk flour, salt, soda and cream of tartar together. Mix into cream sugar-butter mixture.

Roll dough into small balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press cookies down with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped into sugar. Bake in a 350-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Here’s another variation of a sugar cookie that might be tempting to try. It’s a nice one for little hands because they are more capable of making little balls of dough than rolling dough out with a rolling pin.

Sweet Little Tea Cookies

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. vanilla

Sugar sprinkles, optional

Combine butter, oil, confectioners’ sugar and egg. Set aside.

Whisk flour with baking soda, and cream of tartar; add to butter mixture, stirring until well blended. Stir in vanilla. Chill dough at least 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350-degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. If using, sprinkle with sugar sprinkles immediately after baking.

These cookies have a rich, buttery flavor. Make one day. Slice and bake the next.

Refrigerator Butter Scotchies

½ cup shortening

½ cup butter, softened

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

3 ½ cups flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

2 tbsp. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup finely chopped nuts

Cream shortening with butter. Add sugar gradually and cream well.

Add well-beaten eggs.

Whisk flour with salt, soda and cream of tartar. Add to creamed sugar mixture alternately with sour cream in two increments. Blend in vanilla.

Shape dough into a roll. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours.

Using sharp knife, cut into thick slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press 1 tsp. chopped nuts onto each cookie.

Bake in a 375-degree oven about 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Peppermint and chocolate are great flavor mates…and this dessert as good for the big folks as the little ones. It’s also one of those that must be made ahead.

Peppermint Chocolate

Wafer Dessert

½ lb. peppermint stick candy

½ cup light cream

1½ tsp. (½ envelope) gelatin

1 tbsp. cold water

1 ½ cup heavy cream, whipped

9 or 10 oz. chocolate wafers

1 peppermint stick, chopped, for garnish

Crush candy; add light cream and heat over low heat until candy melts (can also use a double boiler).

Blend gelatin and cold water. Add to melted candy mixture.

Chill until partially set (it will shake like jelly). Fold in whipped cream.

Cover bottom of 9-inch square pan with chocolate wafer. Cover with one half of the peppermint mixture. Break some wafers in half and line the edge of the pan with halved wafers. Spread chocolate wafers over peppermint mixture. Cover with remaining gelatin mixture. Top with crushed wafer crumbs and chopped peppermint. Chill until set, about 8 hours. Cut into squares to serve.

9 servings.

Just three ingredients and you’ll have a batch of macaroons. Cookies don’t get any easier.

Easy Eagle

Coconut Macaroons

½ cup Eagle Sweetened condensed milk

2 cups shredded coconut

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix ingredients well. Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350-degree oven, about 10 minutes. Remove to rack to cool.

This unusual layered white fruit cake might just become a family favorite.

Remember that fruit cakes are usually cooled after baking and then wrapped well in foil or plastic wrap to mellow for a day or so.

White Fruit Cake

6 egg whites

3 cups sugar

1 cup butter

¾ cup milk

4 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 lb. sultana raisins

½ lb. candied pineapple, chopped

½ lb. candied cherries, chopped

¼ lb. citron, chopped

1 cup blanched almonds, quartered

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.

Cream butter and sugar until light and frothy. Whisk flour with baking powder.

Whip egg whites into butter mixture. Blend in milk and then flour.

Pour a layer of pan into a greased and floured loaf pan. Top with a layer of fruit and nuts. Continue until both batter and fruit are used.

Bake in a 350-degree oven about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool on rack. Then remove cake from pan. Wrap well with plastic wrap or foil. Let stand one day before slicing.

Rich, luscious and not for calorie counters, this recipe makes two layers….it is lovely served just as is. However, it could also be filled and iced for a gloriously golden cake for a holiday meal.

Golden Whipped

Cream Cake

1 ½ cups heavy whipped cream

3 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 ½ cups sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

Whip cream until stiff. Beat eggs thoroughly and fold lightly into whipped cream. Whisk flour with baking powder, salt and sugar.

Using a wire strainer or sifter, dust flour mixture into cream mixture, folding it in gently with a flat wire whip. Blend in vanilla.

Pour into two greased and floured round 9-inch cake pans. Bake in a 350-degree oven 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove from oven. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

May be eaten as is, or filled, iced and decorated as a two-layer cake.