Nut Free Holiday Cookies and Treats

[Intrepid_Chef]

Every year I make two types of cookie baskets for people ... the kind that contains my nutty favorites (russian tea cakes, peanut butter cookies, seven layer bars, pecan tassies and the like) and the kind that do not contain nuts (sugar cookies, chocolate chip, etc.)

The nut-free kind tend to be a bit bland and boring.

Any ideas for yummy, nut-free varieties?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Here are a couple really yummy ones.

ICED PUMPKIN COOKIES
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.


SWEDISH THUMBPRINT COOKIES
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup any flavor fruit jam


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add sifted flour, and mix well. Shape dough into 1 inch diameter balls and place on cookie sheets. Imprint your thumb in the center to make a 1/2 inch indentation. Fill with your favorite preserves.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown at the edges

 

[dianevill]

These will add some color (I have to admit I don't make them into wreaths - I just mound them):

Christmas Wreaths
32 large marshmallows
6 T butter
½ t almond or vanilla extract
1 t green food color
4 c corn flake cereal
Red cinnamon candies

Heat marshmallows and butter over low heat until melted in lage saucepan; stir in almond extract and food color. Mix in corn flakes until well coated. Place pan over bowl or pan of hot water to keep mixture soft.

Shape mixture into 3” wreaths on waxed paper, buttering hands as necessary. Decorate with cinnamon candies. Refrigerate until firm.

Yield: 1 dozen.

 

[dianevill]

And in case you want to add some chocolate!

Chocolate Fudge

1 7 oz jar marshmallow crème
1 ½ c white sugar
2/3 evaporated milk
¼ c butter
¼ t salt
2 c milk chocolate chips
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 t vanilla extract

Line an 8x8 inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and pour in all chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until firm.

 

[dianevill]

And one of my very favorites:

Snickerdoodles

2 c sugar, divided
1 Butter Flavor Crisco stick
2 eggs
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
2 ¾ c flour
2 t cream of tartar
1 t baking soda
¾ t salt
4 t ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°. Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies.

In a large bowl combine 1 ½ c sugar, shortening, eggs, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.

In a small bowl combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add gradually to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Shape dough into 1” balls.

Combine remaining ½ c sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2” apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 7-8 minutes. Do not over-bake. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely.

Yield: 6 dozen cookies

 

[JAE]

Chocolate Gingerbread Drops

1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour ( I added an extra 1/4 cup flour because I used butter)
1/2 cup dried tart cherries (chopped with chef's knife if needed)
3 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped into chunks (with chef's knife)

Preheat oven to 375. In large mixing bowl beat shortening with electric mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, allspice, and salt; beat until combined. Beat in molasses and egg. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer; stir in any remaining flour with wooden spoon. Stir in cherries and chocolate.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets (I used stones, of course. I also used the medium scoop and didn't quite fill it.) Bake 8 minutes (much longer on a stone) or until bottoms are lightly browned. (I filled two large round stones and baked them at the same time for 15 minutes.) Transfer to wire rack to cool.


I also found this thread from last year:

http://www.chefsuccess.com/f7/what-you-baking-christmas-30395/

 

[dianevill]

Ooooh, one more. Maybe THIS one is my favorite!

Chocolate Cherry Nuggets
2 c butter or margarine, softened
2 c powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
½ t salt
4 ½ c flour
1 12 oz package mini chocolate chips
1 c (10 oz jar) maraschino cherries, drained and cut into four pieces each

In a large bowl, cream butter (slice up the sticks of the butter to go faster). Mix in powdered sugar, and beat in vanilla and salt. Gradually add flour, mixing until well blended. Using hands, mix in chocolate chips and cherries. Dough will be stiff. Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased sheets. Slightly flatten with your fingertip. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Yield: Makes 4 to 5 dozen nuggets.

 

[JAE]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Seven-Layer-Cookies-233296

These actually are full of almond paste, so I guess that counts as nuts. I'm posting them anyway. I'm actually not finished making them because they have to be in the frig for 8 hours. I don't even know if they will turn out or taste good, but the sheet pans and cooling racks are really useful in this recipe.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Yup, those count for sure ... my nephew has a life-threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts. My seven layer bars are much simpler ... stick of butter, cup each of graham cracker crumbs, chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut and nuts and sweetened condensed milk. Not sure if it will hold together the same way if I omit the nuts.My sister is in the habit of never letting her son partake of any cookies anyone else bakes because she does not know how careful they are in their kitchen. I stress that I don't even bake nut-containing recipes the same day as the nut free ones.I've been looking for a snickerdoodle recipe .... can I use butter/margerine or do I have to use the Crisco?

 

[dianevill]

I use half butter, half butter flavored Crisco. Seems to hold the cookie together just fine and make it a little "puffy" (if you use all butter the cookies spread a lot and are flat, and you miss the crinkly look).

 

[ChefBeckyD]

If you are not wanting to use the Crisco, because of the hydrogenated oil - I've just discovered that Smart Balance makes a non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening. It works just like Crisco, but doesn't clog your arteries!

 

[AnnieBee]

Lemon Bars! Not very "Christmassy", but a nice chance from the chocolate and nuts.

I know Kasey has a recipe that is supposed to be awesome. I haven't tried it, but if you want a very simple version, I have one that is still really yummy.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

It's not that I mind using Crisco ... it's just that I don't have any on hand and prefer to use what I have.I'm wondering if I can make the pecan tassies using pretzels?