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Snowball Cookie Fight…

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Jam filled Hazelnut CookiesOne cookie with so many names… Snowballs, Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies and I am sure there are more names.  Whatever you call these delicious buttery, melt in your mouth cookies they are always in my cookie tin.  These cookies are rolled twice in powdered sugar but there are many versions.  You will also see them rolled in coconut, cocoa powder or glazed.  There are also many things you can hide inside this cookie like cherries, chocolate kisses, peanut butter cups, mini chocolate chips or just use your imagination and create your own combinations.  I did that this year and created my Pacific Northwest Snowball Cookie.  I added hazelnuts to the cookie dough and hid some marionberry and tayberry jam inside.  With one bite you will have the sweet flavor of jam combined with the buttery hazelnut dough melting in your mouth.  Another combination I made this year was a Glazed Snowball Cookie with a cherry inside.  I then drizzled chocolate on top and it tastes just like eating a chocolate covered cherry.  The last version I made was one that my mom makes every year and that is just adding mini chocolate chips to the snowball cookie recipe.  But my mom calls them Russian teacakes so let the Snowball Cookie fight begin!

Snowball Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
Confectioners sugar for rolling cookies

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixer.  In small bowl combine flour and salt and add the the butter mixture until just combined, mix in nuts.  Chill dough for about 30 minutes.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  While still warm, roll in confectioners sugar and place on wire rack to cool.  Roll again in confectioners sugar after they have cooled.
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Jam filled Hazelnut Cookies
Pacific Northwest Snowball CookieJam filled Hazelnut Cookies
Make the recipe above and use hazelnuts instead of pecans or walnuts.  After you have rolled the dough into a 1-inch ball use a sharp knife and cut in half.  With your thumb make an indentation in each half.  Fill with about 1/2 teaspoon of marionberry or tayberry jam.  Press the two halves back together and press around the seam to seal.  Gently roll back into a ball.  Chill balls for about 30 minutes. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  While still warm, roll in confectioners sugar and place on wire rack to cool.  Roll again in confectioners sugar after they have cooled.
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Snowball CookieGlazed Cherry Snowball Cookie
Make the recipe for the Snowball cookies using walnuts.  Drain one jar of maraschino cherries (20 cherries) and lay cherries on a few layers of paper towel.  You want to dry them off as best you can.  Roll dough into a 1-inch ball and flatten.  Add a cherry to the center and with your hands fold dough around the cherry.  Chill balls for about 30 minutes. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. (Do not roll in confectioners sugar).  As the cookies are cooling make the glaze.  In medium size bowl sift 1 cup of confectioners sugar and mix in 1 tablespoon of milk.  Once the cookies are cooled place on a wire rack over a piece of parchment paper.  With a spoon pour about 1 teaspoon of glaze over each cookies and let the glaze drip down the sides.  Once the glaze is dry melt some chocolate and drizzle over the cookies.
Snowball CookieSnowball CookieSnowball Cookie

Snowball CookieSnowball Cookie

 

 

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Mom’s Russian Teacakes with Mini Chocolate Chips
Make the recipe for the Snowball cookies and add in 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips with the nuts.  Chill dough for about 30 minutes.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  While still warm, roll in confectioners sugar and place on wire rack to cool.  Roll again in confectioners sugar after they have cooled.  When I made these this year instead of rolling them in just confectioners sugar I added some baking cocoa to the confectioners sugar to give them a light chocolate color.
Russian Teacake cookie

 

 

 

Peanut Butter Cookies

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Peanut Butter Cookie SandwichesOne batch of dough equals three ways to make some delicious peanut butter cookies.  Peanut butter cookies are one of my youngest son’s favorite cookies.  I am always looking for a way to make them a little different but keep that peanut butter flavor he loves.  Here is a way to create a variety of cookies and you only have to make one cookie dough.  You can make old fashion peanut butter cookies, peanut butter thumbprint cookies and a peanut butter sandwich cookie.  I used strawberry jam but you can use any jelly or jam that your family likes, the combinations are endless. If you double the Old Fashion Peanut Butter Cookie recipe below you can make 2 dozen of each peanut butter cookie out of one bowl of dough.  The recipe for the old fashioned peanut butter cookie is a good one, I have placed 1st for three years in a row at my county fair!

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies ~ makes 3 dozenPeanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cups peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
extra sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.  In large bowl beat butter, peanut butter and vanilla until combined.  Add brown and white sugar and beat until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time until mixed.  Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Roll into 1 1/2 -inch balls and then roll in the extra white sugar.  Using a fork, flatten cookie and make a criss-cross pattern.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown.  Let cookies cool on baking sheet 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Take two of the baked peanut butter cookies above add 1 teaspoon of jelly or jam on one cookie.  Place second cookie on top and press down to squeeze the jelly or jam evenly inside the cookie.

Peanut Butter Thumbprints with Jelly
One batch of Peanut Butter cookie dough
1 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup favorite jelly or jam

After making the peanut butter dough roll into 2-inch balls.  Roll in the chopped peanuts and place on baking sheet.  With your thumb make a deep indentation.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on rack for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Add a 1/2 teaspoon of the jelly or jam to the center of the cookie.

Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies with Strawberry Jelly

 

 

Homemade Apricot Jam

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Jars of Apricot JamFresh apricots can be found in our local farmers markets this week in Oregon.   This small orange golf ball size fruit is perfect eaten fresh or if you want that delicious flavor all year it makes some of the best jam.  You only need a few ingredient to turn this Fresh From Oregon fruit into a sweet jam you can enjoy throughout the year.  My husband enjoys this apricot jam on his toast but it can be added to so many other things.  It is perfect for using as a filling in your cookies like thumbprints, and apricot bars.  You can even heat apricot jam in a small saucepan and use as a glaze for grilled chicken and salmon.  So add this to your canning list this year and see what you can use it for and please share in the comments below.

Homemade Apricot Jam
8 cups apricots, crushedFresh cut apricotsApricot Jam
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 box powdered pectin
6 cups sugar

To crush the apricots cut them into small pieces and with a potato masher crush into small pieces.  I find it easier to place in a food processor on pulse only to get the small size pieces I need.   Place the crushed apricots, lemon juice and powdered pectin into a large pot.  Stir until the pectin is mixed in thoroughly.  Bring to a gentle boil, add the sugar all at once.  Stir for at least 2 minutes to make sure all the sugar is mixed in.  Bring the mix back to a boil that can not be stirred down and boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and skim off any foam from the surface.  Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.  Adjust two-piece cap and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Remove and sit on a towel to cool.

Source ~ Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Apricot Jam

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Recipe Master: Carrie Trax Editor: John Trax
Photographer: John Trax

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