Holiday Cookies

I love this time of year for so many reasons (the number one being able to experience Carter's first Christmas), but I also love the tradition of baking holiday cookies and treats.  For one weekend a year, my kitchen is a complete disaster with flour and chocolate powder on every surface, cookie racks filled with cooling goodies, green and red sprinkles creeping into random places, and dishes piled feet high. It's total chaos, and I absolutely love it! I would love to claim I made up all my own recipes for baking, but since it is much too precise to estimate, I used other sources for recipes.  I've attached some links to my favorites (the only change is that I double the vanilla in every recipe, I love the stuff!).  Being the good little boss's wife, we made tons extra so that Ryan could take some into work to share with his staff and faculty.  

My number one cookie decorator

Sugar cookies

Chocolate Chip

Ryan approves

Chocolate cookies dipped in candies

Trays of cookies for Ryan's staff

In the coming weeks, I'll post some more recipes that we make around Christmas.  If anyone has any can't beat cookie or anything else recipes, please share!

For dark chocolate truffles (no pictures, they were eaten before I could!): http://www.ghirardelli.com/recipes-tips/recipes/dark-chocolate-truffles

For the chocolate chip recipe, I use the recipe on the Ghiradelli chocolate chips bag, but here's a link to the same one: http://www.ghirardelli.com/recipes-tips/recipes/chocolate-chip-cookies

For the sugar cookies: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sugar-cookies-recipe/index.html

For the sugar cookie icing, I mixed together one 12 oz bag of powdered sugar, 1 stick of softened butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 3 tablespoons whole milk until thick and smooth and then added food coloring.

For the chocolate dipped cookies: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/chocolate-cookies-with-dipping-bar-recipe/index.html