1988 2nd Place: Pat Egan's Christmas Tree Cookies
72 Servings
2 1/2 c Flour
1 c Sugar
1 c Butter (or margarine)
Softened
1 1/2 t Baking powder
1/4 T Salt
1/2 T Almond extract
1 Egg
1/4 c Green sugar crystals, about
1/4 c Confetti (or nonpareil candy)
Decorations, optional
Preparation time: 20 minutes Chilling time: 4 hours Baking time: 10 minutes
1. Put flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, almond extract and egg into large bowl of an electric mixer.
Mix together, using low speed. Dough will be crumbly. Then knead dough with hands until mixture holds together.
2. Remove 1/3 cup of the dough; wrap and refrigerate. Divide remaining dough in thirds. Using hands, roll each into a 6-inch log.
3. Put sugar crystals on a sheet of wax paper. Roll each log in the sugar crystals to coat well; use the wax paper as a guide to press in crystals. Shape each log into a triangle, pressing gently on wax paper to give three sharp corners. Make sure to make 2 sides longer than the third sid e. Wrap each log well and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until dough is firm enough to slice. To this point, cookies can be made up to a week in advance.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. To bake, slice logs crosswise into 1/4- inch slices. Put slices about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. For each cookie, shape about 1/2 teaspoon of the reserved 1/3 cup dough into a tree trunk. Attach to bottom underside of each tree. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with candy decorations, if desired. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Carefully remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
Note: The logs can be divided and shaped into 3 sizes and sliced to form a 3-tiered tree. These second-place winning cookies are easily shaped into trees that are edged with glittery green sugar.
1988 3rd Place: Gloria Heeter's Best Gingerbread Cookies
24 Servings
1 C Corn oil margarine
1 C Molasses
1 C Sugar
1 Egg
4 C Flour
2 t Baking powder
1 T Baking soda
3 t cinnamon, Ground
2 t cloves, Ground
2 t ginger, Ground
1 T nutmeg, Ground
Currants, raisins, silver balls and candy for decoration
1 Egg yolk mixed w/1 ts water
Icing for decorating
1. Beat margarine, sugar and molasses in a large mixing bowl.
Add egg and mix well.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.
Add to butter mixture; mix well.
3. Divide dough into 4 equal portions on a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap and shape into a flat disk about 1 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, about 8 hours, or freeze for 2 hours. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Working with 1 disk of the dough at a time, roll out on a well-floured board, dusting the rolling pin as you work. Dough will be very soft and can be difficult to work with so work quickly and use plenty of flour. Using cookie cutters dipped in flour, cut into desired shapes. Put cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Use currants or candy for eyes or buttons, if desired.
5. Bake until lightly puffed, 7 to 10 minutes. First batch may be puffier because they will have less flour rolled in them. While still warm, paint with egg yolk wash if desired. Cool on wire racks. Cool completely, then decorate as desired with icing.
Icing:
Mix confectioners' sugar with a small amount of water until thick and spreading consistency.
Add food coloring if desired and put in a small plastic bag. Cut a small hole in one corner and drizzle icing out onto the cooled cookies.
1989 1st Place: Melt Aways
30 Servings
1 c Unsalted butter, Softened
1/2 c confectioners' sugar, Sifted
1 t Vanilla
2 1/4 c cake flour, Sifted
1/4 t Salt
3/4 c pecans, Chopped
Confectioners' sugar
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in mixing bowl.
2. Sift flour and salt together and gradually stir into butter mixture.
Stir in chopped pecans.
3. Drop by heaping teaspoonsful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until peaks are very light brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack. While still warm (but not hot), use a sifter to sprinkle generously with confectioners' sugar.