Reindeer cookies

Bakerella posted some absolutely adorable "Cowgirl Cookies" last August and I've been dying to try them ever since I saw the pictures. However, being the holiday season, I figured I needed to do a Christmas theme and that they would make very nice teacher gifts at school.  Here is the basic recipe

Reindeer Cookies

• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooking oats
• 3/4 cup m&ms
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar

I began by hunting down the 1 quart smooth Ball jars at my local Hobby Lobby.

The first layer was the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Bakerella warned me to pack or it wouldn't all fit in, so I grabbed the tool I usually use to pack the grinds in my espresso machine and had my 5 year old put it to a new use.

The second layer was the oats

Followed by the m&ms

and chocolate chips

And now we are in trouble. Clearly, my 5 year old wasn't packing as much as he could have been. I reprimanded him and after I got the brown sugar into the jar, I pushed with all my might.

I had just enough room to squeeze in the white sugar.

But, you will notice that Bakerella was able to fit some pecans in the top. That did not happen at our house!  Once we had in all the ingredients (except the pecans), I cut a 6" x 6" piece of holiday fabric for the top and secured it with ribbon.

As a final step, I made some labels for the front and the back which I printed on cardstock, cut out with a 1 7/8" stamp and affixed to the far with double stick tape. Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Ginger Creams

This was the first cookie my mom always made at Christmas time and it just isn't the Christmas at our house without them. When you bake them, the whole house will smell like the holidays are supposed to!

Christmas Ginger Cookies
makes: 100 very small cookies

• 3/4 c butter or shortening
• 1 c sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 T Brer Rabbit molasses
• 2 c flour
• 2 t baking soda
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t ginger
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 t cloves 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

Cream the butter (or shortening) and sugar.  Add the egg and molasses and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients and chill, preferably overnight.  

Shape the dough into 3/4" balls (these should be small), roll in sugar and place on a silpat covered cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 to 12 min and cool on a wire rack.  Enjoy a couple (or a dozen) right out of the oven and then store the remainder in an airtight container.