Wedster

Aside from the beautiful holiday decorations, my favorite part of the season is baking. My Grandmother has passed along her love of baking, as well as some fabulous recipes to me. So it begins, another month of baking. I figure that this year, when all the baking has been done, I will have made about 800 cookies! I love to share with others, so rest assured I will not be eating all of them!

Here are some recipes for you to share or try yourselves.

Stay Up All Night Cookies (Meringue cookies)

Grandma named this one because you leave the cookies in the oven overnight and when you wake up in the morning, they are done! This is truly the EASIEST cookie to make.

This would also make a beautiful cookie to be served at a wedding reception.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Yields about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

2 egg whites at room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

½ tsp. vanilla or peppermint extract

6 oz. mini chocolate chips

1. Beat 2 egg whites until stiff, but not dry. The egg whites should form peaks when you lift the beater out.

2. Beat in 2/3 cup granulated sugar gradually until stiff and they will have a satiny look to them.

3. Add a pinch of salt and ½ tsp vanilla or peppermint extract.

4. Fold in 6 oz mini chocolate chips.

5. Lay parchment paper on your cookie sheet. Use a teaspoon to drop the mixture in circles onto your cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into preheated oven and then turn off the heat.

6. Leave in oven overnight or for at least six hours.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread

This is a new cookie that I started making this year and it has proved to be a favorite among many.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Yields as many as 36 cookies, depending on how large you cut them.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

Pinch of salt

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

¾ tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl

2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla until they are a smooth mixture. Begin to add in your flour mixture until well blended.

3. Stir in 1 ½ cup chocolate chips.

4. Press dough evenly and firmly in the bottom of an ungreased 9X13 inch baking pan.

5. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

6. Let pan cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, and then cut shortbread into rectangles. Let cool completely before you remove from pan.

7. Melt your remaining chocolate chips. Dip one end of your cooled cookies into melted chocolate, then transfer to waxed paper and let stand until your chocolate has set.

If you have any favorite recipes of your own, send us a comment. I am always looking for new recipes to try.

On the topic of cookies, why not have a cookie station at your wedding reception. There are such beautiful display pieces and so many unique and beautiful cookies that can even be tied into your wedding theme.  Here are some creative ways to display your cookies from Martha Stewart